The Effrontery of Being Alive

~ that which was mine, my daughters shall not inherit ~

‘Who Stole My Light?’ Frangipanni Photo by author

Listen:

Only a coward

chooses ignorance over self-knowledge.

Fleeting courage

brought me;

Love,

I’m greedy for you.

Is that why an

eternal hunger

stalks me?

I, a woman

made a mistake —

I fought to live,

not merely exist.

I’m only human, mother.

Listen:

Today

self-loathing

dashes around

inside me like a rat

trapped under

a thick blind blanket.

Though the world

forgives

and forgets

marches on,

I,

every day

I must do penance

with a jagged speculum.

Pull out first,