Beauty and the Baby Art

Original Art by Women Artists Around the World

"Dandelion Children" poem by Marie Cartier

This is a very special page featuring a groundbreaking poem Marie Cartier first published in 1994.  This poem is dedicated to all the "Dandelion Warriors" out there, women and men who have survived sexual abuse or incest and have chosen not to commit suicide.  As Ms. Cartier wrote in the beginning of her book, I am Your Daughter, Not Your Lover:

"Please, stay here.  Stay alive.  I want to take this journey with you.

"Remember: that was then, this is now--this place is different.

"Remember we know how to survive.  Remember--we survived for a reason.  This is my reason: I feel your hand in mine, my hand in yours.  Stay safe.  Stay proud."

Please visit our Dandelion Warriors Forum page to leave your thoughts, your story, your message.  Click this link to take you directly to the Forum page: http://www.beautyandthebabyart.com/apps/forums/

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Dandelion Children

         --for all the survivors

         I am looking for dandelion children.  I am missing a

         sacred site.  Home.  I am looking for dandelion children.

         Home.  Family.  Sacred.  I am looking for you.

 

I tell you:

the world will not crack

you will not die

I will not leave.

You will survive.

I mean this:

You will survive

the telling, you survived

the living.

 

We were dandelion

children.  Long-branched, strong

roots.  Impossible to kill

a dandelion.

Dandelion children live any

where they can.

Fragile seeds, but

they suck into soil.

They hold on.

 

We were not meant to survive.

Shooting green and spiky

from the cracks in the sidewalk

But.  Dandelion children, well,

we make it: We are “OK.”  We are “fine.”

We hold on.

 

And, having done so.

I hold your hand.  You are more than “OK,”

bright singing yellow green

life. Spring.

Deep roots push you into light.

Light.  I tell you, you will

survive the telling.

The world will not crack.

I will not leave.

We will all—survive.

 

We were not meant to.  But

having done so,

we bloom.

Oh, we bloom.

 

---Marie Cartier

 

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Reprinted with permission from the author.  All Rights Reserved.

Gold: Greatest Hits 1980-2000
by isbn: 1-930755-27-9
greatest hits series#21
is available from: www.puddinghouse.com

I Am Your Daughter, Not Your Lover,
by Marie Cartier
published by Clothespin Fever Press,
isbn:18788533-18-5 is currently out of print (but author interested in finding a publisher to re-print.) If interested, e-mail marie@mariecartier.com.)