"Woman Against the World"

The sun was black with judgment, and the moon     

Blood: but between

I saw a man stand, saying: 'To me at least    

The grass is green.

'There was no star that I forgot to fear     

With love and wonder.

The birds have loved me'; but no answer came --     

Only the thunder.

Once more the man stood, saying: 'A cottage door,     

Wherethrough I gazed

That instant as I turned -- yea, I am vile;   

Yet my eyes blazed.

'For I had weighed the mountains in a balance,     

And the skies in a scale,

I come to sell the stars - old lamps for new -     

Old stars for sale.

'Then a calm voice fell all the thunder through,     

A tone less rough:

'Thou hast begun to love one of my works    

Almost enough.'

~ G. K. Chesterton

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A Short Reflection on Femina Contra Mundum

At its heart, Femina Contra Mundum is a meditation on human pride, the temptation to commodify and control the divine, and the call to true reverence and humility. The title, meaning "Woman Against the World," hints at a deeper metaphor. In the poem, the man may represent humanity, and the divine feminine—"femina"—suggests the figure of the Church, or even the soul, standing in opposition to the world’s materialism and hubris.

The poem serves as a reminder that the soul must always stand in opposition to the pride and worldliness that seek to strip creation of its sacredness. It calls for a posture of humility before God and warns against the dangers of loving the gifts of creation more than the Giver. In a world that often values creation—beauty, nature, and material things—without recognizing the Creator, this poem reflects the need to restore balance. Women, in particular, are called to embody humility and grace, standing firm in faith against the materialism of the world, and ultimately pointing back to the love and glory of God.