Wednesday 21 April 2010

Real Women Have Curves

Real women who jump,
start revolutions
Her feet mark earth
when they fall.

Real women have curves,
dreams, tears,
places to store
the unbroken seams
of her identities.

Hijabi pilots, poets,
new world leaders,
queens, ministers,
saints and healers.

Real women have curves,
throw curves,
Arc the courses
of other lives
Are loathed or envied
or villified
Become saintly
and sanctified

though she never aspired
to inspire
the quiet housewife
to fire.






- Shaista Tayabali, 2009




images: some of my favourite real women, Queen Rania and Michelle Obama, Mother Theresa and Lady Diana, Dr Maya Angelou

The title of this piece is also the title of a play by Josefina Lopez, which was eventually made into a film starring America Ferrera - both are just wonderful!

12 comments:

Lisa said...

Beautiful women, I love them too. And beautiful poem Shaista, thank you.

Eila said...

LOVE this poem:)

Sam Liu said...

Each of them a woman who made a mark on this Earth, wonderful poem.

Maia said...

You have such a wonderful mind, and I always come here for inspiration, Shaista.

Lele said...

Gourgeous poem as always, inspiring pill for my cloudy Sartuday! Thank YOU.

Anonymous said...

Love your subversion of the notion of curves
thanks for sharing
crazy field mouse

A Cuban In London said...

Oh, this poem has the OOMPH factor turned up to 100! :-) Loved it. From beginning to end. I've read it three times now.

'Arc the courses of other lives'

Marvellous. That line is pure magic.

Greetings from London. At last.

Sara said...

Inspirtational!!!

Unknown said...

Thanks, Shaista. A lovely poem to all the real women.

The Jodi(e)s said...

this is so great.
i love love love the 'throws curves' stanza - beautiful.
your blog is divinity, so much power and so much inspiration

Tess Kincaid said...

This is a wonderful piece, Shaista! Your favorite women are among mine, as well.

Jeanne-ming Brantingham said...

I had dinner with Maya Angelou about five years ago and later in that evening sat beside her at a performance of Cirque Du Solie. We were both guests of a greeting card company, both licensees. She still is, I am not. Anyway, it was an interesting evening.

This is a great post Shaiasta.

I love the portrait of your granddad.

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