Editor's note: March is Women's History Month. Here are some poems honoring women by Latorial Faison. You can read more of her poems and about the author from the link below, "Poems about Black History."

The Face of Freedom

You moved and maneuvered
through mountains, brought

water, hope, and safety to
people who had been denied

freedoms . . . of speech, beliefs,
and sleep. Far away you came

close enough to death, or it
came for you, and you went

heroically, nobly on into a
sunset that it might rise again

on peace, captured or killed
terrorists, bombs undetonated,

or a country liberated.  Your
blood, sweat, and tears have

quenched American fears; the
world has found sanctuary in

you. Nations remember your
name, and their innocent

praise the fact that you came
to save them. You perished

praying for a sign, a song to
sing to sleep, a light to shine

in your dark place, one last
look upon a loved one’s face

you left behind. We see you,
honor you, know that our

destinies have intertwined,
that they have been aligned

by a truth you upheld, an
oath you took.  We lift and

lower flags, sound bugles,
wear memorial dog tags

to salute the life and death
of you.  We remember that

you marched, sailed, flew,
that you commanded, and

parachuted too, assailed an
enemy, or destroyed a coup.

You sacrificed, gave the best
of your life, for freedom.

Woman

She is every ounce of
“strength, courage and wisdom”
in trace amounts of man
and -isms

She is the effervescence of life:
dignity and faith in our fathers,
love, light,
hope for tomorrows

She is the seed of prosperity
bringing forth virtuous fruit
faith, charity, resilience
and truth.
She speaks peace
to every sorry
she is the dawn
of every tomorrow

She is woman
for destiny’s plans
she is chosen
by Divine hands