She breaks into tears
broad shoulders shuddering
under the weight
she must bear
every waking day.

I wrap my arms
around her broad form.
She is so soft
to be so hardened
against the world
of walls she batters against.

Walls I cannot break down
alone. Walls I and others
like me helped build
through our complacency
our acceptance.

The shame I feel
as I hold her to me
is all this moment can do.
We take deep breaths
step back
each seeing now
the color of our skin.

We smile. We nod.
We say
I’m okay for now.
But there is so much more
work to do.

[Prompt 1: Write a poem about a famous woman or an influential woman you know personally.]