by Lou Ella Hickman (Corpus Christi, TX)
was it your soft voice—
out of dark greening leaves
that spoke woman to woman
on how to become wise . . .
a wisdom so desirable
you sensed
she could almost taste its delight
just by reaching for it . . .
reaching then became touch
and touch makes things
somehow more real . . .
your voice
feminine as the garden they walked in . . .
did you pause in your speaking
` aware how moist their lips were
and how their eyes had suddenly opened in shame
Sister Lou Ella Hickman, I.W.B.S. is a former teacher and librarian whose writings have appeared in numerous magazines and anthologies. Press 53 published her first book of poetry in 2015 entitled she: robed and wordless. She was nominated for the Pushcart Prize in 2017 and in 2020. On May 11, 2021, five poems from her book which had been set to music by James Lee III were performed by the opera star Susanna Phillips, star clarinetist Anthony McGill, pianist Mayra Huang at Y92 in New York City. The group of songs is entitled “Chavah’s Daughters Speak.” Her second book of poetry, Writing the Stars, will be released October 2024. (Press 53). If you’d like to listen to an interview with Sister Lou Ella about her poems being set to music, visit: https://www.todaysamericancatholic.org/2023/08/we-have-a-concert/
The Jewish Writing Project 