Hypatia

in the hands of ignorance

in the hands of hatred

in the hands of zealots

your legacy was lost

but we celebrate your life

as the woman who overcame

the barriers of gender

in a time where men are ruled superior

in a field where men’s ideas are ruled superior

in a world where men ruled superior

hypatia of alexandria

you wondered about the works of diophantus

you stared at the stars and made your calculations

you proved yourself as capable as your father

and you led with ideas

you fought with words

you competed with fervor

amongst the thorny ancient world

and all you accomplished

the determination you displayed

your life, your work

leads us to hope for change

women like you

who lived lives dedicated to knowledge

to discovery

to learning

may your names

forever be etched

in the annals of history

and may your history

be a reminder

that the world’s cruelty

against women

with ideas

need to have ended

in generations before

the generations now

will answer your call

and so shall we learn

that women can paint time

with influences of our own.