she can be a teacher
with broad soft arms
padded by the birth of children
and harded at the core
from when she could be a boxer
reeling from the punches
and spitting foul words
oh! the feeling of a fight
gives her swagger when she walks
in combat boots
from when she can be an artist
layered with paint and hair dye
all self expression and stardust
and thoughts
thoughts that have made me a scientist
a woman of science
a woman
is so much more
than the front of her
or even her insides
i'll calmly paint or teach a lesson
but i fight to feel alive
and no one no one
will ever take that english ivy life from me