On the first night br of the full moon, br the primeval sack of ocean br broke, br & I gave birth to you br little woman, br little carrot top, br little turned-up nose, br pushing you out of myself br as my mother br pushed br me out of herself, br as her mother did, br & her mother's mother before her, br all of us born br of woman. br br I am the second daughter br of a second daughter br of a second daughter, br but you shall be the first. br You shall see the phrase br 'second sex' br only in puzzlement, br wondering how anyone, br except a madman, br could call you 'second' br when you are so splendidly br first, br conferring even on your mother br firstness, vastness, fullness br as the moon at its fullest br lights up the sky. br br Now the moon is full again br & you are four weeks old. br Little lion, lioness, br yowling for my breasts, br growling at the moon, br how I love your lustiness, br your red face demanding, br your hungry mouth howling, br your screams, your cries br which all spell life br in large letters br the color of blood. br br You are born a woman br for the sheer glory of it, br little redhead, beautiful screamer. br You are no second sex, br but the first of the first; br & when the moon's phases br fill out the cycle br of your life, br you will crow br for the joy br of being a woman, br telling the pallid moon br to go drown herself br in the blue ocean, br & glorying, glorying, glorying br in the rosy wonder br of your sunshining wondrous br self.