International Women’s Day Synchroblog

I’m reposting this poem today in honour of International Women’s Day and as part of the synchroblog on biblical women that Julie Clawson has organized.

Bathsheba
your silence screams at me tonight
as though begging to be given a voice
your betrayal stands in stark contrast
to the brief facts listed under your name
as though your thoughts were unimportant
unnecessary to a history of kings
you weren’t the first
and how many thousands came after you
not even mentioned
the injustice done to them forgotten
worse, condoned
worse yet, justified
the fault their own for being beautiful
did your mother curse God
when she saw your face
did she know it would kill your husband and your son
your body suddenly a battleground
did you blame yourself
because the king could do no wrong
or did you live with anger
burning just below the surface
if I gave you voice
what would you say?

Here are a few of the posts in this synchroblog:
Julie Clawson on The God Who Sees
Kathy Escobar on standing up for the nameless and voiceless women
Eugene Cho on Lydia
Pam Hogeweide on the secret weapon of teenage girls

If you’re interested you can find a longer list of links here.