Double-fisted hand holding
through dark Newark streets
for a women’s hockey game
strong girls
growing stronger
in the burgeoning stands
to be ice-cool
and sharp as blades
beyond the stadium horns
and the flash and lights,
crying from pure exhaustion
Dad’s pocket money depleted
evaporated like so much cotton candy
worth every blood-earned penny
to escape the cultural poison
and raise
warrior women
through dark Newark streets
for a women’s hockey game
growing stronger
in the burgeoning stands
to be ice-cool
and sharp as blades
and the flash and lights,
crying from pure exhaustion
evaporated like so much cotton candy
to escape the cultural poison
and raise
warrior women
