three minds in me

in me lives a hunger for higher things
for belonging and infinity
in me I experience, in spite of my humanness,
the warmth of an attentive power
in mutual connectedness

in me rise feelings and values that struggle
with norms and rules of tradition and law
I note in myself, born from growing self-respect,
rebellion and aggression about my womanhood denied
by male distrust

in me grows hope–filled confidence
that the human spirit will prevail
I see my changed mentality
as basis of an equal future for women and men
and mutual respect

broken in pieces

as cascading heavy snowflakes
wild thoughts cover the floor of my being
I am saddled with a broken image of the church
with an attempt to be heard that is doomed to fail
with paralysing injustice
with light without warmth
and life without structure
my God, where shall I turn?