A Pair of Poems for IWD: Part 1

Ladies What Laugh

Have you ever noticed that

     Whenever you get a group of women together

          - all women -

     There will always be laughter?

Across generations

     Across cultures and nationalities

     Nations, the North and the South even

Also...

We are an active audience

We listen

     Observe

          Feel

               Understand

                    Express

Quietly to our neighbours

Politely, with a raised hand

Not so quietly or politely

     For the joy of the group

          Or its excitement

               Anger

                    Frustration

                         Exasperation

Some things you just can’t keep in

     Solidarity, wonder, a good question

     A really witty remark

They burst out, they can’t be contained

Some things you can’t let out

We are women

(We are humans)

Where there are women

(Where there are humans)

There is empathy

There is awareness

There is acute awareness of the group

Of the group dynamics

Of the ups and downs

     The flow

          The song

               The balance

We come with an open heart

We question with an open mind

We seek to find

     The best for all

     Respect for all

And always - always - room to laugh

Written 27/2/18

Thanks to the Sotonettes whose meeting inspired this, to all the amazing ladies in Guiding who laid its foundations, to Debs who spoke so brilliantly at that meeting, to Maddy for inviting me, to Emily for coming with me, and to Holly for giving me the confidence to share it.