she rose in slow motion
with the earth reluctant
to release her
pungent with its
musky scent
soft and molded
resembling earth
with its mountains
and its valleys
crests and peaks
she rose
silently
hesitantly
gaining her footing
steadily herself on
long slim legs
that were yet unsure
of standing...
she rose and stood
breathing in the air
God had breathed into her
feeling her soul unfold its wings within her...
the early dusk
reflected highlights of deep amber
red and golden brown
upon her akin
as the earth from which she had been formed
damp and moist
still clung insistently
to her limbs
she rose
she stood
she waited...
waited until he arose
this man
this setting from which she had been taken
even now she felt the phantom remains
of other ribs encircling her
making her feel safe
as she awaited her discovery...
bone of his bone
flesh of his flesh
yet a separate entity
she breathed in harmony with him
feeling his pulse
hearing his heartbeat in her head
she was one with him
though outside of him
and when he awoke he knew
instinctively
profoundly
and definitely knew
that this was woman
a mirror of himself
the extension of his own arms
and so he wrapped himself around her
tucking her beneath his heart
to keep her warm
and the two became one
balancing the weight of life between them
and in the face of every tempest
she arose
in his strength which had become hers
and hers his
she arose to redefine him daily
as a glorious testament
of all that was beautiful
all that was pure
and all that was good
she arose to embrace the origin
of who she was
who she would always be
woman
taken from man
from the earth
the signature of God
completing the sentence that man had begun
bringing him to life
carrying the breath of His Spirit within her...
the glory of her man
the covering of her children
the giver of life
she could not be contained
for she bore all things within herself
in this capacity
she arose to give
as only a woman can give
for it is a gift to the world
this creation called woman...
Extracted from The power of being a woman by Michelle McKinney Hammond
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