"Daughters," a poem by Jess Coffman

women dance on raining night

in hometown dreams 

we never thought we’d have

women dancing

unlike girls

with graying hair 

and wrinkles from smiles

playing songs 

that enter souls,

confirming pieces are

closer to whole

women loving 

in early eves

recalling memories

of wild yore

now calm and sweet

in our hearts to keep,

twinkling hearth

of beginnings

ready to start

women scorned,

and women of peace.

youthful insecurites

ready to cease 

forever

hands that stretch to reach 

our depths 

and mouths that speak

unbitter words.

and never will we be

in moments of now again,

but we’ll cherish with greatest hope

our nows until our end.

stairs that lead to nowhere

and everywhere unknown.

But a serenity shadows our belonging,

like a cloak in the storm.

Happy knowing,

of smallest and largest degree

persuading 

the purest part of me. 

Happy women,

with burning flame,

swinging in the year 

letting time slip through again. 

Decision looms,

in flowering ring

worn by beauty 

as we joyfully sing.

Commitments prove

loves deepest intention 

of two lives, 

divine invention.

women bloom in feline discourse

feeling no need 

for feminine remorse. 

We are, 

We be

no obligation to any 

We live by our seas

and wade in our waters,

the exhilarating ripples

the honor of daughters. 

JESS COFFMAN

I wrote "Daughters," on a night that I also slid down the stairs in the splits. 

I wasn't drunk, though Angie, Regan and I had enjoyed some healthy portions of red wine and sweet potato/kale/chicken tacos, that I had made for dinner. 

I was simply happy and silly as hell. We all were. We enjoyed the fuck out of being ladies, who were not in the presence of men. We talked about things that would have made most men feel uncomfortable. We ate and drank the amounts that we wanted. We played Jewel songs on guitar, and didn't worry if it was good or not. We danced in front of the Christmas tree and listened to Stevie Nicks wail, as the rain poured outside. And...I eventually did some sassy stair dancing that ended with me sliding down the stairs in the splits...backward. The whole night was an absolutely beautiful experience. 

When we finally started to wind down around 9:45pm, which we were completely aware was ridiculously early, I got very inspired to write about what I was feeling. Here we were, 1 engaged woman, 1 single woman, and a woman somewhere in between, who were celebrating our womanhood and friendship in a townhouse, across from the place where we all met, when we were 13. Almost 20 years later, we were celebrating Christmas together and each of our new beginnings. The night was perfectly surreal. It was one of those experiences where you pause for a moment and say to yourself, "Wow, I never saw this coming." And you smile to yourself, when you realize that that statement is meant truly in the best way possible. Thank-you my lovely women friends, for your open hearts, support, space, understanding, silliness, honestly, strength and love. I am honored by you. 

Sirens, Stevie and Santa,  

Your Jess