The beast leaps
With the knowledge
I’m no longer
Looking back.

But, I am woman.

You shall hear me roar
As I claw my way
Through the monsters
And rise from the floor,
Some soundtrack
Of a guitar screams
In the background
Muffling the mental shout.

Because inside
There lives a part of me
Dripping in despise of defeat.
Knock me off the edge
Well, I’ll hold onto the ledge
Until my fingers bleed.

And even then
I’ll let it run down my arms
To the soles of my feet,
Keeping an eye on the prize
Watch me pull myself up
With the sunrise,

I am woman.

Photo by Leonidas Takao Ishikawa