'If I Were To Have a Daughter' by Ravyn LaRue
(A Poem to Melissa May, June 10th 2014)
If I were ever to have a daughter
I believe I might name her Melissa
for reasons that existed
before your words were burned into my brain
and yet
it is people like you
that give me strength
for if I were to ever to have a daughter
Lately I've been scared to raise a daughter
since I know I could not save her from this world
and I fear there is so much cruelty
women are murdered and broken
by men who merely think them empty shells
and no one on this earth
has magic enough to protect us from that
Yet you are the riled tempest
that makes me feel
like my loud voice,
echoing those who went before
screaming their souls to shake the planet,
might actually make a difference
Your existence helps me to believe mine is valid
your rolling midsection and tameless will are things to be admired
you inspire me to believe
I can pass down to my prospective daughter
the bravery her namesakes possess
and though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
I will fear no evil in this world
for if I were to have a daughter
I will name her Melissa