This poem is part of a special presentation of The Poetry of Señoritas Latinas Unidas Sorority, Inc. If you are interested in seeing the entire collection of poetry submitted by this organization, click here.

Herstory

By:
Ysanet Batista 

In history it is always read about
all these great men

But the women that stood beside them

Are never really seen or heard

As it is said—behind every great
man stands a stronger woman

And they covered ground and conquered 

Doing things to the wire

Her soul with fire…like the sun

Climbing mountains trying to reach

Touching the peak

And once she’s there

All the weight on her shoulders

Still finds it in her to stand proud

And she WON’T scream it out loud

BUT if she were only too

You could see her roar, see her soar

And could feel that power in her inner
most core 

Prime example is Coretta Scott King

Better known as Mrs. King

Devoting her life to the legacy of
her king

Right beside him, creating a symbol
herself

In her own right

As he struggled for peace & Brotherhood

And not because she should

But because she could

Dealing with affairs and mistreats
that were misleads

Still became herself a pioneer of civil
rights

Mrs. King had a great mind 

I will change the course to now define
the power of us

We preside with our quiet, steady,
and stoic presence

Uhhh if only you could feel our essence

An assuming character

That creates love and esteem

Always with the concern about the

Comfort and happiness

Of our husbands and children’s with
strict regime

Our compassion causes a chain reaction

Affecting many that presided after
us

But no one like us

OH NO SIR!

Latinas will always be F1RST!