My poem Daugthers of Hecate is one of the literary works of 165 female writers from 17 countries that have found their way into the Women Writers Anthology 2026. The beautiful hardcover version arrived yesterday and it’s even cooler than the paperback I received last week.
Thanks to 1455 Books for making this wonderful and powerful publication. So far, I’ve only read a handful of poems from the book, and I’m already moved in so many ways by these heartbreaking testimonies and stories about the many ways silence affect women.
Together, we write about the many dimensions of silence – and now we break it.
Or as the publisher puts it so accurately:
“Bold, insightful, and deeply human—these writers illuminate the world through the power of story.”
“1455’s Women Writers Anthology is more than a collection of exceptional work; it is a testament to the importance of creating space for women’s voices to be heard, shared, and celebrated. In bringing together writers from across communities and continents, this anthology highlights both the distinctiveness of individual experiences and the common threads that connect us all. These pages offer readers an opportunity to encounter new perspectives, discover emerging and established voices, and engage with stories that will resonate long after the final page is turned.”
Here’s my poem:
Daughters of Hecate
We are said to be foxes, clever and elusive,
playing cunning tricks. Sly cats that claw,
rough gems on which men want to get
their hands cut, sirens who lure sailors
to an early death.
For centuries, we existed only in the words
of men who consider themselves important.
Virgin. Mother. Witch. Mythical beings,
despised or praised into heaven.
But never – just human.
Tucked away in the folds of a history
that is not ours.
Many of us wear dresses like armor
that refuse to protect us. Eyes and hands
follow wherever we go. We are islands
in a sea of discomfort.
We, who have the power to create life.
Let us rise like phoenixes from the ashes of pyres,
lead our ghost dogs across dark forest paths
in moonlight where we gather,
feel: we are so much more.
Let us be the unexpected answer
to a question no one asks.
(c) Leen Raats
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