Those Who Defied
maybe it was days like this
that brought us all wandering
all coming together
all learning to love each other
she was the witch that didn’t melt
when they poured water over her body
she was the princess who slayed the prince
who harmed the motherly dragon that protected her
she was the mermaid that found her song within her
after the devil chased it away
she was the goddess who fled her garden
to become free in the fiery pits of hell
she was the temptress who would turn mad men into dust
as they peered into her eyes when her hissing hair warned
she was the child who defied her country
and fought in a war in her father’s stead while dressed as a man
They were all the heroes we girls needed. They were the heroes we loved. And we are the heroes of today. I love you, I cherish you, I accept you, and I forgive you. You are home now.
The Goddesses of Earthly Disasters
and sometimes even in our darkest of days
you will come to loathe him and his kind
the men who have harmed you and your sisters
of the land and sea and skies
and you will want his face beneath your shoe
and above the hot concrete sidewalk for what he had done to you
but I swear on my grave and future to come
you will break out of the terror filled dome and roar again
maybe not as mighty
maybe not as fiery
and maybe not as powerful
but by the gods above and under us you will roar again
you will beat the hell out of those tortured feelings
and claw your way back to feeling okay at the least
and thunderous at your peak
you will rise again my sister
and I will stand with you as you fight with fire in your eyes
and earth beneath your fists
as you wade through the dark waters
and storm through the land that he walks on
you will be the most powerful of us
and we will love you in every form
fore when you lash out hurricane after tornado after earthquake after tsunami you will stand amongst the goddesses before your time and know that you did well
Tiny Tanaka is a poetry and prose writer, recovering addict, Hafu-sprinkled with Korean heritage, lesbian, who happens to have borderline personality disorder. They fight for intersectional feminism, LGBT+ rights, and to end the stigma of mental illnesses. They are a regular contributor to Marías at Sampaguitas.