A woman is a woman - Milena Ercolani

A woman is a woman ...
Each time she speaks to you
And says nothing of the ghosts
You would have wanted
To stitch across her lips
And on her shoulders

A woman is a woman ...
Each time she awakes
And fearlessly enters
The tight circle
That still stamps on her, uses her
And charges her hands and her face

Each time she's a mother
With a breast or without,
As painted in a portrait
With colours from veins,
Secretions of sweat and saliva
Beating drop by drop
On the beating heart
Hurting her
Soothing her

A woman is a woman ...
When her soul's resin
Anoints her giving body,
Anoints her caressing fingers,
Anoints her deep-dark kisses
And her eyes can look on
Unshaded
Her feet walk unfettered by borders

A woman is a woman ...
Each time she is frightening
In the guise of a hug, no princess,
But a woman's a woman
Each time you recognize her as a queen if flowers,
Each time you can see her as only a woman,
With no more veils,
No artificial light
No mannered affectation

Only then,
Fertile field,
Kneaded soil,
Maytime sky,
Wellspring song,
She will be Woman for you,
When finally you are Man once again.

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Milena Ercolani (born 1963) San Marino
Her web site can be found here
Translator not stated
Source: Milena Ercolani's website