by Mark Saba

Honor to women, poised and resilient,
as wise as men.

You who have given birth to every leader
shine in our memory.

Mother of us all, remind us
that our shortcomings don’t conquer hope
and we will find peace at death.

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Mark Saba has been writing fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction for 40 years. His book publications include, most recently, Two Novellas: A Luke of All Ages / Fire and Ice, Calling the Names (poetry), and Ghost Tracks: Stories of Pittsburgh Past. His book of creative nonfiction, Forking Paths, will be published in early 2023, as will his next poetry book, Flowers in the Dark. His work has appeared widely in literary magazines around the U.S. and abroad. He is also a painter, and is recently retired as a medical illustrator at Yale University.