This year, Bev and Linda have organized themes for each month. This month's theme is multiculturalism.
My poem this month began with a contemplation of a multicultural matriarchy. I considered how mothers around the world, in spite of our cultural differences, mostly want the same kinds of things for all our progeny: for them to be healthy and happy. I thought about how when you travel with children, you have an instant connection. Those old women we met on the Korean transit system took as much delight in the antics of my granddaughters as I did.
I was lucky to have spent my teaching career in a multicultural community like Vancouver. I was shown that students don't really care about skin colour or cultural differences. They just want to be friends.
I suspect a global, multicultural, matriarchy would learn from them.
Here is my poem:What if
a congress of crones
ruled the world?
multicultural matriarchy,
centring all the world’s children,
the ones they birthed,
as well as
flora and fauna,
who share this planet with us.
What would this
parliament of protectors
decree?
Would they, could they,
I imagine them,
babes at their breasts,
faces serious as they
negotiate a world
where none of their offspring
are sent off to kill one another.