Mother

Why is birthing disembodied
why do we sterilize it
and pathologize it
and spiritualize it
and reduce it to flat
two dimensionality
until it becomes as bland and as safe
as the artist's creation
or the writer's words
which is to say,
still not very bland or safe at all

Why do we wipe away
the blood
the piss
the shit
and far, far worse
the mucus

We clean up the Blessed Virgin
and we take away the very possibility of an orgasm
by saying she never even had sex
no we don't say that
we say that she never knew a man

And sometimes we canonize women
no
they're little girls
who had the decency to get murdered instead of raped
because that's so much better
and holy too

Why do we hate ourselves so much

Why do we hate our bodies

Why do we hate what nurtured
and sheltered
and fed
and warmed
and loved our children

Why do we starve and pinch and poke and liposculpt
what attracted and aroused
and pleased our lovers

Why do we feel ashamed
of what pleases
ourselves as well

Why are we either virgins or whores
Sluts or wives
Sinners or saints
Angels or animals

But never just women