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 