Here’s to you, a sterile woman
for your children will not
inherit the earth
whilst underneath your sweating arms
tired with empty burdens
you hold up the belief
less is more and more
is not always best
if that ruffles a few feathers
puts a nose out of joint
causes a skirmish
so be it
you will stand
among the tall old men with their placards
of ‘don’t kill babies’ and headless dolls
throwing fake blood at women
who enter the sanctum
you will stand and spread
your merciful wings
shining they stretch
to cover even the fearful
do not be afraid you say
I will see you safe
murderers! murderers!
the tall old men shout
rattling their signs and faux uterus
rot in hell!
the words of a good Christian
spat on her dress a glob of hate
you feel nothing no damage
you are the light who guides
these women have decided
and it is their right
not an easy choice
but one they alone should make
not governments or men
with signs and garish photographs
of bloody murder as they proclaim
swearing hate with
bible in one shaking hand
where lies
their mercy?
she sits here
in a quiet kitchen
without children underfoot
longing
empty
sad
and is still
and is yet
glad
to protect the ones who can
choose
as she cannot
for her womb
is absent and if they knew
the haters would
say
this is God’s doing
you deserve to be barren
damn you
such is the gentle heart
of a believer
Many women I encounter say they would never have an abortion because of their personal beliefs but equally they would never take away the option for someone else. That is what this is all about. Choice. Personally I have noticed a shift toward restricting/banning abortion, swings-and-roundabouts, in 20 more years it’s going to shift the other way. Point being, abortion is never ideal, but the right to make a choice is an ideal worth striving for, worrying that this is being ignored. When you search for pro-choice online there is not as much as pro-life, giving the impression we’re shifting radically. I’d say it’s more the vehemence of extremists scaring others to speak out, thus I speak out, as a woman who cannot have children and would love to, but believes others need to make their own choices about their own bodies. Will be interesting how many followers I lose by the days end. And that’s okay.
TheFeatheredSleep 
xo
Em, thank you so much beautiful and talented girl for your support, it means such a lot xxxx
Well I am thinking of Lermontov’s speech to Vicky… be a little housewife with a bunch of screaming children. When I was born there were 3 billion in the world now we are cresting 8. Now I added to that sum in my small way but I feel overcrowded. You will never lose me Feather
I am going through photos of the red shoes, wow, just wow
I have only just read this, being relatively new to the blogging world.
I, mother of two beautiful girls, was always adamant I would never have a termination. Although a Christian, it was not my reason, just that I could never see there being a reason that I would not give a child a chance at life. Until I was in a situation where I had to make that decision of course. In the midst of a life changing “drama”, a woman has to decide what is best for herself, and also, the unborn baby.
The medication I am now on, should I have chosen to go through with the pregnancy, would have affected the child. Had I not continued the medication but continued with the pregnancy, I could have caused the death of myself and the child in the process whilst also leaving my two daughters without a mother. So I had to make a decision that has plagued me, even though I still stand by my decision to abort that pregnancy. I did not tell ANYONE this. Not even the father of the child. He knew I was pregnant and was in as much of a quandry as I. Only a few people close to me knew of the situation, and I told them all that I had miscarried. Even my partner. Isn’t it sad that, despite genuine reasons for this pregnancy not to continue, I felt so ashamed? My mental health deteriorated quickly after that and I had to admit to the people that knew, I hadn’t miscarried. It was a choice. One I didn’t want to make, but then what woman would CHOOSE to be in the situation of putting herself through that just for the sake of it?!
Thank you for posting this…. xx
That’s a terribly difficult impossible situation and i admire you for sharing your experience. You’re so right. It’s unfair and wrong we’re ever embarrassed afraid or ashamed but it is how it is, and so hard. I really hipe you know you did nothing to ever be ashamed of ever, I personally believe in choice but I also belief in the rights of women to do whatever they need for their health and body. Your story is especially challenging because for some it is less prohibative, and yet I admire those who do what they must although truthfully you had no real choice. You put security and love of your family first, you couldn’t risk that being lost, I would have made the same choice but it must have still been very, very hard. I truly appreciate you sharing your experience and hope very much you never condemn yourself ever♡♡♡