To a Unique Woman of the Western World

A Poem by Salimah Valiani

Rarely home
Lights often dim
She’s now sold her car
(even harder to keep track of her)
The woman next door
What does she do?

Works long hours
Longer than most in the shop
Who knows what work she is
working-on?
When exactly she leaves
A hardy worker
Applies herself well
Does innovative things
Which take longer to do
(but then, she must have the time)

The woman next door
Wears a ring on her finger some days
Doesn’t on other days
Wears yet another ring on it
other days
Feeds herself
Keeps her own house
Pays the bills alone
While earning less than the male worker in her field

The woman next door
Is a single woman
Single women
Who knows what they do

from Letter Out : Letter In (Inanna Publications: 2009)

Salimah Valiani: https://salimahvaliani.wordpress.com/