Back in the back in the day ~ we’re talking forty years ago ~ the Wellspring Women’s Center was not the extensive effort into which it has grown today in its now long-time location at the Old Firehouse in Oak Park, staffed by an army of redoubtable ladies and serving the needs of many.
It those days it was still run by the two retired nuns who started it, occupying a tiny triangle of a building fronting Broadway.
A sliver of a coffeehouse served, early every morning, free day-old rolls and coffee, on little tables at the windows, each with a cheerful feminine flower atop it.
One corner contained toys for the children their guests sometimes brought with them. In the back room were English lessons for our community of the Hmong.
On the door, there was a little sign which read, “No Men Allowed.”
One man ~ and only one man ~ however, was allowed into that room, and the poet is proud to say it was her own lover at the time, the owner of the Guild Arts Complex (forever) under development a block or two away.
The poet sometimes sang there at Wellspring, for the women, on Saturdays.
She wrote this song for them.
*****
‘Woman, lover, goddess, mother, child…’
“Wellspring”
*****
This poet/editor is physically disabled, and lives at a fraction of her nation’s poverty level.
Arts patrons may visit http://www.UgiftABLE.com , using code 72D-31S. It will take about two weeks for the poet to be notified of your patronage.
International donors please contact the poet for special instructions.
Thank you for supporting quality in the fine arts
My Poetry 
Leave a comment