Devotional Poetry

Footprints in the Sand

Footprints in the Sand:
Contemplating Gender Equality

The line of footprints led
side by side
across the ancient riverbed.

Equal partners
in their battle for survival,
the couple walked
hand-in-hand
across the sand of Africa
and into history.

Frozen in time
the line of footprints led
out of Africa.

Her footprints slowed,
burdened by a load
heavier than any child;
he footprints lagged
one step behind.

Unequal partners
in their battle for survival,
they trudged
across the wet sand of history
injustice and superstition
curtailing the progress of both.

One step
is all that it would take
to bring the footprints even;
if they would stop
and he step back
help remove her burden
and thus his own
they could resume their journey
across the sand of time
equal partners
in their journey for survival.

Poet's Note: ▼

I wrote this on 9 Mulk 152 B.E. The inspiration was a line of human footprints discovered in Africa.