From: James Elliott <J_C_Elliott>
Date: Thu, 18 Nov 2004 09:55:57 -0500

Absolutely beautiful. She hits it right on the head. I knew I liked Alice Walker for a reason.

Thanks for posting that.
  ----- Original Message -----
  From: Cathy Sullivan Seblonka
  To: James Elliott
  Cc: Schliesman at education.wisc.edu ;
  Sent: Wednesday, November 17, 2004 7:47 PM
  Subject: Re: [ccbc-net] Off-Topic Messages/Final Thoughts on Women's History


  James Elliott's stated desire for more from the parlor maid's
  point of view reminded me of Alice Walker's poem "Women" from WORDS WITH
  WINGS: A TREASURY OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN POETRY AND ART selected by Belinda
  Rochelle.

  They were women then
  My mama's generation
  Husky of voice-Stout of
  Step
  With fists as well as
  Hands
  How they battered down
  Doors
  And ironed
  Starched white
  Shirts
  How they led
  Armies
  Headragged Generals
  Across mined
  Fields
  Booby-trapped
  Ditches
  To discover books
  Desks
  A place for us
  How they knew what we
  Must know
  Without knowing a page
  Of it
  Themselves.

  Cathy

  --



  Cathy Sullivan Seblonka
  Youth Services Librarian
  Peter White Public Library
  217 N. Front St.
  Marquette, MI 49855
  (906) 228?10
  fax (906) 22683
  e-mail: cathys at uproc.lib.mi.us
Received on Thu 18 Nov 2004 08:55:57 AM CST