male and female

NEW WOMAN – ME!  no 4

 

from where emerged that vision
of the superiority of the male?
on what ground did he claim the privilege
of dominating the whole of creation?
who granted him the right?
who gave it a name?
who knows the reason why?

from where arose that vision
of the inferiority of the female?
on what did she ground her duty
to be subservient to the man?
who imposed this obligation on her?
who gave it a name?
who knows the reason why?

from when I was young I learnt the vision
that people are marked to be like God
that it was God’s breath that aroused their love
through which they equally share the privilege and duty
of caring for creation; of preserving life
is this not the task God imposed?
was it not God who enabled us
for us to act as one?
is that the reason why?

© Tina van Lieshout
translation John Wijngaards

MEDITATIONS

desert journey three selves in me me broken in pieces male and female my choice irrepressible thrust the money dragon and the religion dragon evolving identity women carry the church

the force of time I accuse women I accuse men my inner struggle past present future my dream and God saw that it was very good phallus worship on the way

Tina van Lieshout was a Dutch Catholic woman who felt called to the priesthood. Her diocese refused her admission to the priestly formation programme which she challenged in high-profile court cases. She lost. Being both a gifted artist and poet, she described her despair in a series of paintings and meditations. But she also expressed through them her determination to realise her potential as a free and equal person.  Her work was published in the Dutch book Ook in de Naam van de Moeder en de Dochter [= ‘Also in the Name of the Mother and the Daughter’], Wilco, Amersfoort 2000. She died in 2010.