International Women's Day Poem by Seamus O' Brian

I celebrate International Women's Day, not because there is some inherent necessity to elevate the concept of womanhood, for women are a creation of the same Mind and Hands that cast all the wonders of the universe across the sea of nothingness, as perfect in their conception and teleologically complete in their existence as anything in the manifestation of all creation.

I celebrate International Women's Day in the same way that I celebrate all of the beautiful wonders and amazing marvels displayed in the panoply of this existence, surely distinct each in its own right, but by no means separate or divorced from the whole─by no means an entity that requires the effort of anyone to enhance the glory of its own essential qualities.

I celebrate the strength of womanhood, not as a distinction from humanity, but as another refraction of that same notable quality variably inherent to all of humanity, a manifestation of power and depth displayed across a spectrum of expression, equal, but wonderfully not identical.

I celebrate the women in my life like my mother, who painted a flesh and blood portrait of resilience, strength, perseverance, and creativity that was essential to the crucible of who I would be in this world, and what I could achieve.

I celebrate the beauty of my wife, not merely that overwhelmingly appealing physical attractiveness that took my breath away and imprisoned all other thoughts of a life without her, but the beauty of her grace toward me through all these years, the powerful beauty of her vision of the potential that was locked inside me and the patience to unleash it. The beauty of her compassion to those who are so often discarded by a world that values lesser qualities than the soul of a human being.

I celebrate the passion of my girls, who are not afraid of the future, and who burn with a raging (Alex) and stoically quiet (Caera) zeal to seize the future and make it a better place.

I celebrate the women in my life who taught me the love of the written word, the passion to pursue excellence in my art; who taught me to walk in the paths beyond this world into the presence of God, who taught me concepts of compassion and generosity and grace.

I celebrate International Women's Day because, unfortunately, there are so many whose eyes have not been opened to the reality that womanhood is a concept complete in its perfection, consummate in its execution, and wholly unnecessary of improvement or confinement.

I celebrate the beauty and dignity and strength of the marvelous creation of women, unique in all the universe, and as worthy of wonder and admiration as any other marvelous feature of existence.