"Girls Night," by Kadin Gaviola

The time it takes to warm up

Is the moment I walk through the door.

The validation of braless nights

And talk of all the struggles that could take down this nation.

Bring me cookies and I'll trade you my life force.

Give me a hug and I’ll give you all my love.

It’s so simple to slip into this world;

Piling worries to set ablaze in our chants of change

And pleads of better things.

Gasps of “how could they…” and “no way…”

Fill the room and leak into the hallway.

Our voices crescendo into laughter

That suckles fear out of bleeding hearts.

How could this be the salve to my soul?

It’s sometimes so easy to heal like this.

As the quality of the life women lead

Diminishes to dust under lock and key.

Under guise of protection

We are cut-off from our toiling fight.

Are we seen at eye level

And can you hear me through the glass if I scream?

I know they can; these girls have caught every tear

And felt each mile lost in exchange for a step of progress.

I am armored with a hope

That future women will see this space

And give more weight to it.

I hope they cherish it when their life depends on it.