To Be a Woman
by Theodora Goss

To be a woman is to be always holding
the tears of others, the fears,
the dreams and hopes and desires
of others, as a jar holds water.
There are days on which she thinks, yes.
I can do this. There are days
when she thinks,
no more, no more. I’m starting
to crack.

(The image is The Blue Jar by William McGregor Paxton.)