Poem: Las Mujeres Somos Fuego (Us Women are Fire)
By: Roberta Woodworth
Las Mujeres Somos Fuego
Era un solsticio de verano,
con la espalda hacia la luna.
Una belleza casi egoísta.
La risa desvergonzada,
dentro de un aula en silencio
con el perfume de las flores
trenzado en los cabellos.
Era mujer, era fuego
flama vibrante de alma ardiente
furia incandescente
esa que fantasea
con quemarlo todo.
Nació tranquila,
entre voces que apaciguan,
que encasillan.
Los hombres le temen,
su miedo compartido y desmontado:
querer jugar con fuego y no morir calcinado.
El fuego deja huellas,
en las pieles y en la arena.
Y las mujeres ardemos,
sin importar cuanto nos extingan.
Un buen día, sin avisar,
volvemos a arder, a quemar, a amar.
Un día volvemos a incendiarlo todo.
English Translation:
Us Women Are Fire
It was summer solstice,
with her back against the moon.
An almost selfish beauty.
An unapologetic laugh,
inside a silent room
with her flowery perfume
braided throughout her hair.
She was a woman, she was fire
a vibrant flame with an ardent soul.
incandescent fury,
one that dreams with burning it all.
She was born tranquil,
amongst appeasing voices.
Men are scared of her,
their shared and unmounted fear:
they want to play with fire and not burn to death.
Fire leaves its traces,
on skin and on sand.
And us women we burn,
no matter how much they try to extinguish us.
One day, without notice,
we will return to burn again, we will love again.
One day we will come back to burn it all.
Roberta Woodworth is a born and raised Mexican writer, fashion lover, poetry addict, sport enthusiast, foodie, and student. Apart from managing and editing her blog, My Vintage Armoire, she has collaborated with various publishers in her country, such ELLE México, Instyle, and Life&Style. She has also been the beauty editor for Finding Ferdinand New York and editorial advisor to the Fashion section for the Mexican newspaper Reforma.