Lady Of The Water

A poem by Layla Saad

Today I walked into the water
and swam far out into Mama Ocean
and asked her to cleanse me
of my fears, and purify my tears.

I prayed in the water:
O Beloved Divine
release me from these patriarchal bonds
that claim Good Girls
don't lust for life,
or desire pleasure,
or crave sensuality,
or take up space
with their wild self-expression.

Peel back these lies that insist
Good Girls must
cover up their bodies,
and restrain their hungers,
and tone down their voices,
and question their inner wisdom.

Dissolve these falsities that say
Good Girls must
hide, limit, dilute and apologise for
the power of their minds, bodies
and souls.

Mama Ocean listened calmly,
lovingly, as I prayed with desperation
to be released from my pain.
She held me as I sobbed
and choked on my fears.
She listened patiently
with the greatest compassion.

And then she sent me
the most beautiful divine sign
that my soul had been heard
and my prayers were being answered.

She then laughed softly, and whispered:
My darling daughter, you can relax now.
You can let go.
You can be free.
Mama's got you.
You can expand into your full being.
You won't explode from getting too big.
You'll just grow closer
and closer
and closer
to me.

I laughed in awe and great relief,
wiping away my holy tears.
Then I shouted back to her in delight:
Thank you Mama, thank you!
That's all I've ever wanted!

Image Credit: Christopher Campbell