28 Days

"Female problems," that's what we say
When we're trying to be polite
When we don't want to talk
About that part of us which makes us unique
Which makes us whole and holy
Givers of life,
Givers of pleasure,
And hopefully receivers.

If I was completely honest,
And gave you more than a euphemistic answer,
Would you think I was crass,
Impolite
Un-whole and unholy,
Wanton and rough,
Lacking in couth,
Raised without manners,
Crude?

Am I supposed to be ashamed of my body, and its functions?
Must I hide like women of long ago who sat in huts, and bled,
Ashamed of themselves for bleeding
When bleeding is what they were meant to?
Decreed by nature
Whole and holy
"That time of the month,"
"On the rag,"
"Ridin' a white horse with a red saddle,"
"On my period,"
Menstruation.

The big mystery,
The mother of mothers,
And fathers too
The curse we are cursed with
Unless she's late,
And are glad to see go
When she's overstayed her welcome
Pads or plugs?
Stains in our clothes,
The great surges when we sneeze,
Or stand up from a chair when we've been sitting too long
Blood clots and cramps so bad
That you can't stand up straight
Lightheadedness, fatigue, bloating
Excessive blood flow,
Fibroid tumors,
Cancer,
D&Cs and hysterectomies
Menopause.

A lifetime written in blood
Ordained by the lunar pull on the tides,
Whole and holy,
Inevitable,
No big deal,
Happens to us all
Then ceases,
As the next chapter of our lives begins
Givers of life,
Givers of pleasure,
And hopefully receivers.