Dear Young Woman – Original Poem

By Mark A. Leon

Dear young woman, you are the future
Dear young woman, you will shine in the midst of darkness
Dear young woman, you will hold the torch that will guide the path to a new and amazing tomorrow
Dear young woman, you are the voice that will sing a chorus of love

That is the song that we hear
You are the footsteps
You will never walk alone
Two steps; hundreds, thousands, millions, billions together hand in hand
You will embrace the struggle; united together as one
Coast to coast; ocean to ocean;

In the schools
The workplace
The playing field
The homes
The limitless places defying gravity

Dear Young Woman

You are the inventors, the scientists, the athletes, the dreamers, the visionaries and the leaders

Dear Young Woman

You inspire through compassion
Empower with unstoppable force
Change through the power of unification

Dear Young Woman

You will do good
Goodness; kindness; hope, perseverance

No longer will you look to the stars and only dream
You will touch them and smile
And look down upon a world you have shaped

Dear Young Woman

The gift of responsibility is upon you
Take hold and instill a new day we can all be proud of
Change is gradual, but change is real and now

It is your mind
Your body
Your emotions
Your strength

Dear Young Woman

We are so proud to see the future in your eyes
Seeing a world we have yearned and fought for and oh what a beautiful place it will be