The Santa Ana Literary Association will be presenting a new poem by a local poet every week this year. This week’s poem is “March” by Marilynn Montaño.

March

By Marilynn Montaño

Sometimes, women are praised on the mic
Sometimes, women are credited for their labor
Sometimes, women are paid for their labor

Women are told,
to be outspoken
to be leaders
to step up

For Women’s International Month,
instead of putting up one day banners
and hashtags on social media

listen to the women
the first time a concern is brought up

We as women, already live with patriarchy in our homes
We have to challenge it at the dinner table

We have to do it all over AGAIN,
in spaces that are supposed to be safe for “communities”
and in spaces that are supposedly “radical”

We hit the streets to protest
We go hard to protect our gente
We give it all

However, when the violence lives within community spaces that were supposed to be another “home”

Everyone looks the other way,
It’s the SILENCE

Do you hear that silence?
Do you hear that silence?
Do you hear that silence?

Marilynn Montaño is a writer and artist from Santa Ana, California with roots from Puebla, MX. She is the Social Media Manager and Event Coordinator at LibroMobile, a bookstore & arts co-op. In 2019, Montaño was named Poetic Influencer for OC Weekly’s People’s Issue. Montaño enjoys cold brew coffee, Sanrio, horror films, zines and has a long stack of books to read through.