Risk, Courage, and Women: Contemporary Voices in Prose and Poetry

Contents

vii contents Acknowledgments xiii “Strong Women,” a poem by Pat Mora xv Women Involved in Nurturing, Giving, and Sharing (wings) xvii introduction 1 sources of courage: an interview with maya angelou 21 sustenance for living 25 Naomi Shihab Nye One Moment on Top of the Earth 30 Stain 33 Janice H. Brazil Grandma 34 Wendy Barker The Face That 36 Karen A. Waldron Down the Dublin Road 37 Demetrice Anntía Worley Standing Ground 39 Susan J. Tweit Walking Home 40 Joan Loveridge-Sanbonmatsu The Garden of Isabel 50 El Jardín de Isabel 51 Ruth Kessler Unlike Cain Angel-Like 52 In the Language of Silence 57 viii Risk, Courage, and Women Paula M. Cooey That Every Child Who Wants Might Learn to Dance 59 Maya Angelou Art for the Sake of the Soul 67 faith in the unknown 75 Valerie Bridgeman Davis The Soul’s Source 79 Bárbara Renaud González La Diosa 81 Wendy Barker Ithaca, On the Landing 89 Joan Shalikashvili Risks and Challenges: Facing the Unknown 92 Terri Jones Hints from a Cancer Victor 95 Amy Freeman Lee Hoops of Fire 102 Why Wait? 103 Gail Hosking Gilberg The Tiger 105 Barbara Lovenheim Red Dirt Road 107 Diane Graves Of Birth-Mother and Daughter 108 the courage of choice 113 Amy Freeman Lee Firewalk 118 Catherine Kasper Begin Again 124 Demetrice Anntía Worley The Dark and Gray of Morning Light 128 contents ix Isaura Barrera Sacred Space, Stage Setters, and Miracle Makers: Reflections on Courage 129 Mitsuye Yamada The Club 137 Joan Loveridge-Sanbonmatsu Night is My Friend 139 Doris Sage The Edge: Across Borders, Over the Line, Through Prison Gates 140 Mitsuye Yamada Doshite Human Rights? 149 Bonnie Lyons Rahab’s Scarlet Cord 151 Gaynell Gavin Choosing 153 Bonnie Lyons Walking Out 159 Valerie Bridgeman Davis Free 161 seams of our lives 163 Gail Hosking Gilberg Traveling Words 169 Bert Kruger Smith Jared Found 170 Nanette H. Yavel The Pinochle Game 176 Ruth Kessler False Prophet 183 Janice H. Brazil Purple Passion 184 Hilda Raz Stock 185 x Risk, Courage, and Women Wendy Barker Facing Masks 195 Amy Freeman Lee Now Where Are You? 198 Barbara Lovenheim Two Aisles 200 Rosemary Catacalos Final Touches 201 Demetrice Anntía Worley Judgment of Dissolution—Found Poem 204 Estelle Shanley Belfast: A Woman’s Story 206 Naomi Shihab Nye Her Way 212 the real self 215 Valerie Bridgeman Davis When I Am Asked 220 Joan Loveridge-Sanbonmatsu Enroute from Japan 221 Two Warriors 222 Kim Barnes The Clearwater 226 Pat Mora Doña Feliciana 238 Janice H. Brazil Faces 240 Rosemary Catacalos Swallow Wings 241 Valerie Bridgeman Davis My Heart Beats for You 242 A Heart to Run 245 Marathon 248 contents xi Nanette H. Yavel Eve 250 Bonnie Lyons Lilith Whispers 252 Judith Mourns 254 Ginger Purdy Dancing on the Edge 256 Demetrice Anntía Worley No Position Is a Position 260 Unlearning Not to Speak 262 Nan Cuba Confessions of a Compulsive Overachiever 264 crossing borders 271 Rosetta Marantz Cohen Ruth Marantz Cohen: Une Vie Exceptionelle 277 Joan Loveridge-Sanbonmatsu The Telling of It 281 Gail Hosking Gilberg Conversion: The Trail of a Resident Alien 287 Connie Curry We Who Believe in Freedom 294 Joan Loveridge-Sanbonmatsu Turbulent Odyssey for Justice 299 Demetrice Annita Worley Dancing in the Dark 306 Pat Mora Elena 308 Learning English: Chorus in Many Voices 309 Jean Flynn Sharecropper’s Daughter 312 Janice H. Brazil Questioning 321 xii Risk, Courage, and Women Karen A. Waldron Her Place 322 Ruth Kessler No Traveler 323 Naomi Shihab Nye Stone House 325 Ruth Kessler Elegy for an Angel 327 Karen A. Waldron Next Year in Jerusalem 328 Maya Angelou On the Pulse of Morning 342 contributors’ biographies 347 ...