give your daughters iron skin.

as they learn to be quiet, teach them

not to lose their loudness, but to keep it,

hold it crackling under their skin.

distill it. teach them to lose it

when the time is right, to bring down worlds with it.

give your daughters brambly names and sturdy shoes.

as they learn to be homemakers, teach them

how to make themselves home.

teach them that they can be unmakers.

teach them to break things

and hide the glue.

give your daughters granite hearts and steely spines.

as they learn to gloss their lips, teach them

to love freely but with care, to take

who they want but give to few.

teach them to pose a danger.

give your daughters iron skin, and

let them play with knives.