I am woman I am no stranger to blood
not all blood is re(a)d red the colour or
read the verb but all bleeding is loss
not all loss is re(a)d red the colour or
read the verb once a man came to
bleed between my legs blood is rust
men have come to rust between my legs
tried to grow old inside me
men decay easily in moist vaginas
they always find a reason to stay
even when its bleeding even when
they’re the blood rust is loss
I am woman I am no stranger to loss
loss has come to materialize between my legs
ejaculation miscarriage discharge infertility
wanted babies that do not come are a loss
loss is absence when I think of absence
I think of fathers there are fathers
who have an absent presence
there are fathers who are runners
at least the dead ones have an excuse
when I was in school blood was said to be an excuse
for lazy girls to not swim during P.E
when I grew older blood was said to be an excuse
for all the failures of lazy blacks
but blood is not an excuse
Blood is the event Blood is its extent
Black people are its largest measure
I am black and woman
I am no stranger to blood and loss
and loss of blood blood is code word
our elders tell us not to tell the men that we bleed
speak of blood discreetly
bleed quietly period
only means a length of time
stay indoors when you’re bleeding
do not let your blood seep through
clothes sheets moods smiles
bleed quietly but be prepared
to wipe blood bleeding men need
a hospital I am black woman
I am hospital bleeding
every month between my legs
makes my vagina a place of healing
men still come to bleed between my legs
men have come to heal between my legs
but all hospitals have
a mortuary somemen became cold
between my legs stiff inconsiderate dead
they found a reason to stay
I let them stay
I let them die I am blood
I am good at mourning
I am hospital I miss pleasure
Moaning all my moans
are a taboo urgh and uhm
I am black and woman my blood is taboo.
