A reply to the woman who wondered if any woman were 100% happy with her body:



I sing praises of my body as did Innana in ancient times:

In my life, I have seen my hair go from flax to honey;

from beauty to beauty.

My eyes are golden gates to love and light,

opening on creation,

welcoming in my lover's heart.

My mouth and tongue sing praises of my estatic life-tide;

I kiss my lover's body,

I kiss my friend as she sleeps after sorrow;

I taste pomegranates and wheatgrass, still living

the mother enters my body.

My throat humms under my lover's touch.

My strong neck holds up my head, and bends

beneath my sister's caress.

These slender arms embrace new friends, and haul in firewood. Hands, thou wonderous hands,

where hast thou been? In paradise.

My perfect precious breasts, they are milk

Oh belly, laugh with me. My lover feeds me food

grown under her own hands.

Now she rests her head upon you, and dreams.

Vulva: softest-hair, clit, lips, oh cave.

So magic, gives and receives, again again again.

again. May I honor my most womanly places,

as they have honored me and my lovers.

My strong thighs carry this dancing body, I praise you now.

Now, you anchor my body to my lover's head, as I fly out and beyond

riding.

My wise knees, they teach me flexibility.

My practical feet are as sensitive as my earlobe.

I praise thee, both feet, both feet so capable and smooth

So often blessed, I do walk sure in her ways; you ground me.

I sing praises of my body, my spirit basket,

woven for me to live in, in this lifetime.








This actually was a reply, written spontaneously, as part of a conversation on body image among the lesbians on a lesbian email discussion list called "Sappho" in the late 1980s. As far as I know, this was the first national discussion community among lesbians that wasn't mediated by a magazine or other institution. We were mostly attached to universities or government contractors, since we were using "The Internet" or BITNET as our medium.
I believe Sappho is still active.

Anyway, I sent this email to the list, and then years later couldn't find it. I posted a note to the list, asking if anyone had saved a copy. Of course, two or three women responded with copies from their archives.