Women's Army Corps - my mother, Corporal Grace (in the middle)
My aunt, Sergeant Jane, on the right.
My aunt, Master Sergeant Mary Ellen
Skirted Soldiers
My mother and aunts wore
olive-drab jackets
with gold tone buttons
the color of Montana mornings
the kind that make
horses test their fences.
In their knee length skirts
they took care not to walk
up the stairs while male
soldiers stood at the bottom
cat calling, whistling, asking
Who wants to get pregnant?
Army Corps women ignored
lunging kisses, endured
smear campaigns claiming
they were of low morality
and persisted in their service
without laws to assist them.
Colonel Oveta Hobby
led them to victory in the 50's
as they achieved ranks
of Corporal and Sergeant,
changed the world
with a skirted twirl.
This poem is from my new book, "In the Grip of Grace" which is currently available for pre-order from Finishing Line Press through March 29 with a release date of May 24.
My mother and her sister, and my dad's sister all served in the Women's Army Corps in the 1950's. The phrase "skirted soldiers" is taken from an article by historian, Melissa Ziobro, who wrote this about the women like my mother and aunts: "They answered the call that would integrate by gender what historians have called the most prototypically masculine of all social institutions - the U.S. Army." I am happy to share the above poem in honor of Women's History Month and these incredible women in my family.
I'd like to thank everyone who has pre-ordered, "In the Grip of Grace." The book will be shipped to you on May 24, and after March 29, the price will increase, so if you are reading this and haven't yet ordered your copy, I'd so appreciate it if you did. All of the names of people who have preordered will be entered into a drawing to win a copy of this charming anthology, "The Wonder of Small Things: Poems of Peace & Renewal" which contains one of my all-time favorite poems, " The Peace of Wild Things" by Wendell Berry, along with many other delightful ones. If you are the lucky winner in the drawing, you'll have a collection of poems to read while you wait to receive your copy of "In the Grip of Grace."
Let's hear it for peace and renewal! I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of spring and the Equinox this month and wishing you all the joys of the season (and Happy Fall to my readers down under!)
With love,
Marianne (aka Wild Honey)