A Saint for our Troubled Times?

Wilgefortis wouldn’t wed,

would rather marry Christ so

willed herself a beard and

with a beard was crucified.

She became “Liberata” in Italy,

“Librada” in Spain — liberated,

though in France she was “Débarras”,

riddance, which is two-edged.

“Kümmernis” in German — anxious

perhaps– and “Ontkommer” in Dutch but

I prefer the English

Uncumber as that

exactly expresses what she wanted,

what women prayed to her for–

a life uncumbered by the

wrong sort of men.