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I’m in mourning, and I know I’m not the only one. I’m tired of reading articles that say “Well, conference is over and once again the powers that be have not deigned to grant much time to women’s voices.” I know people have written to the general authorities about it. I have no grand ideas about how to bring about change. However, I can sit with my sisters and brothers in sorrow. We can lament together. The scriptures even have a whole book showing us one way it can be done. I decided to write a poem inspired by those found in the book of Lamentations. (I loved this video overview of Lamentations that I discovered while researching my project.)

Many of the lines in my lament are copied or altered from the NRSV translation of the bible. (Yea verily, I love when poetry is translated in verse.) The author of Lamentations has no qualms about arguing with the Lord, even saying “The Lord has become like an enemy”. While I have definitely gone head to head with God before, in this case it seemed more straightforward to argue with the Lord’s Church. I substituted words in the text accordingly.

In the Hebrew Bible, Lamentations is called “How”, because “How” is the first word in the first verse. In my poem, I ask how women can embody the qualities President Nelson enumerated in his talk “A Plea to My Sisters”.

Women’s Lamentations
by Kaylee

The Church has become like an enemy;
   he has destroyed the voice of women.
He has decimated Relief Society,
   laid in ruins her autonomy,
and multiplied in her sisters
   mourning and lamentation.

How can women speak up
   when they are given no time to speak?
How will we see women’s visions
   when we don’t see women?
What use is discernment 
   when a woman’s witness is overlooked?

Zion weeps bitterly in the night,
   with tears on her cheeks.
Are women’s words nothing to you,
   all you who pass by?
Why do you confine the hour of revelation
   and let nothing pass from a woman’s lips?

The Church has annihilated
   general women’s meetings.
He has broken apart the façade
   of women’s leadership authority.
The women have no authority—
   not even to conduct their own meeting. 

Her young girls grieve, 
   and their lot is bitter.
Little girls have seen men
   stripping women of their capacity to preach.
Tender children learn a stinging blow:
   women are not entitled to have the last word.

To the mothers in Zion:
   Cry aloud to the Lord!
Let tears stream down like a torrent
   day and night!
Give yourself no rest,
   your eyes no respite!

Your prophets have seen for you
   false and deceptive visions;
they have not exposed their iniquity
   in gaining their fortunes,
but have seen oracles for you
   that limit your earning potential.

Look, O Church, at how distressed I am;
   My stomach churns; my heart is wrung within me.
I am more than a mother and homemaker.
   My nature is divine; my potential is limitless.
For these things I weep;
   my eyes flow with tears;

The widow’s mite is wasted on the wealthy.
   Where is Zion, who has no poor?
The abundance of her granaries has long been sold,
   her assets grabbed without consent.
She is obliged to accept offerings from the priests;
   she is compelled to beg in her hour of need.

My eyes cause me grief
   at the fate of all the young women in the Church.
They see that women of the world preside;
   they see that women of auxiliary presidencies...do not.
They hear that a future bride cannot preside,
   but must bow her "equally yoked" head in silence.

Arise, cry out in the night,
   pour out your heart like water.
The Church has abolished in Zion
   female blessings of healing.
Alas! For your daughters are in pain
   and ache for want of equity.

Curriculum direct from female leaders is no more,
   the prophetesses cannot impart their vision from the Lord.
Relief Society meetings are overflowing with men:
   men’s thoughts, men’s ideas, men’s messages flood the room.
Look, brethren, and consider!
   Whom have you drowned?

The Church has walled us about so that women cannot teach their truths;
   he has put heavy chains on us;
though we call and cry for help,
   he shuts out our prayers;
he has blocked our ways with unfilled callings;
   he has made our paths crooked.

How can women share their wisdom
   when it is censored by male approval?
How can women use their profuse strength
   when they are diminished by their narrow roles?
What use are women’s executive abilities
   when they remain subordinate?

The Church has spurned queen and priestess,
   he disregards the Mother God.
My eyes will flow without ceasing,
   without respite,
until She from heaven,
   looks down and sees.

How can women be full partners
   when men will not promote them from associates?
How can women organize
   when men must authorize every action?
How can women inspire
   when they are crushed by patriarchy?