I did not see my grandmother between her stroke and her death. She was a proud woman; I was a cowardly girl. I realize that men outnumbered women in the room. I watched my body leaning away thinking isn’t PTSD a funny thing. He says his name is ‘chad molester’ and I bite my tongue…
Every day on my walk to and from work, I pass by Planned Parenthood. Most days, it is a very quiet street. Every so often, though, there is a mass of people gathered across from Planned Parenthood. Most of them kneel. Some of them are nuns, others are dressed pretty similarly to me. Most of them…
The color of blood leaking from between my legs now is much brighter than menstrual blood normally is. This is not the thick wine red that I’ve gotten used to since I started my period seven years ago. There are breaks in that time, the normal irregularity, settling into a pattern that had me convinced…
On our last night together I’ll tell you, I miss you I’ll tell you, you mean the world to me I’ll tell you, distance can’t really impact friendship Though I of course know that it can On our last night together I’ll run my hand through your hair one last time I’ll run through the…
There’s an inside and an outside of me Each day I attempt to bring them closer Etch onto my skin the words in my stomach I can’t swallow them any longer Each day I attempt to bring them closer Secrets are sisters of lies and lies fester I can’t swallow them any longer The ones…
A present concerning past things A present concerning present things A present concerning future things events that draw on memory undertaking the act of remembering essential details here descriptive maps mental maps describing the borders Arguably, here the witnesses tend to be influence by the needs of the present rape of women maltreatment of youth…
I sat at the foot of his old recliner, my sister on his lap and my hand crushed inside his much larger one. Ever since the stroke, which had happened before I was born, the feeling in his fingers was not very sensitive, so the force used by his clumsy, large hands was much more…
It’s 3 a.m. and I’m sitting at the kitchen table. The table is small and round, no corners anywhere do this is one thing I would not have to child proof. Angie wants a baby. It’s not that I don’t want a child. Even if only to have a bit more of Angie in the…
bites her tongue tastes iron not everyone can smell blood someone told her she is proud she can she tastes it “bite your tongue” for unwanted words cut off your tongue for secret words spit out the blood it fills your mouth runs down your throat Can she still taste it? tongue removed and barred…
TW: the content of this post is at moments graphic and personal and could be triggering to those who have lived through sexual assault. My mother says he sat down next to her in the back of the bus. He made conversation. He slid his hand up her thigh. There was a small tear in…
