Those preaching women

Those preaching women
Dangerous in their courage
Standing in the face of no agreement
Speaking to an audience of turned heads and whispered mouths

Those preaching women
Praying and baking and reading and fighting

Those remembering women
With backs straight and heads high
Twisted fingers and ashy knees

Those beautiful women
Locks and afros
Blondes and browns
Blacks and reds

Those chocolate of many hued women
Those moving women
Still in the middle of the night
Listening to God's voice
Knowing Her tenor
Swinging to His alto

Those old young women
Wise and words
Building and tearing down bridges
Breaking and repairing bones
Filling the space of broken circles

Those mothers and friends
Aunties and big mammas
Sisters and teachers

Those prophesying women
With word from the Lord
Those scary women
Who know good when they see it
Smell a lie when they taste it
Call a foul when they feel one
Conjure blessing when they need one

These are our beloved preaching praying loving women
Whether we love them or not
Listen or not
Care or not

These are our women always praying
Always connecting
These are our women
Holding life for us
To be