Friday, January 02, 2015

Minister for Women

dedicated to the hon. Tony Abbott, Minister for Women

minister for menstrual blood on the hem of her school dress
minister for being the last of your friends to get your period
or the first
minister for sluts, dogs, whores, cunts,
lesbos, fat chicks,
minister for the ones who failed the frigid test
and the ones who passed

minister for the childcare worker who sings the babies to sleep
and on the way home spends two hours wages
on a take home test
minister for the second line, the call from a phone box,
‘if you keep it, we’re through’
minister for knowing it’s over anyway
whatever you do

minister for the women who lie together, bellies touching

minister for stretch marks and cracked nipples and anal fissures,
for the surprising dark clot, the size and colour of a kidney,
that slips from her a few hours after childbirth
and shivers gelatinous on the bathroom floor
just one of those things no one tells you about

minister for the lump that’s found
sometime after midnight
during lovemaking

minister for menopause

minister for the ones who didn't have children
and never felt the need
to explain the reasons why 
but had to anyway to relatives at Christmas 
and the young fathers in the workplace
who will look after you when you are old?
you'll never truly understand love.

minister for putting your knickers into soak
for washing your bra in a laundry bag
for the stains that never come out
for hanging those sheets out to dry anyway
because fuck you

minister for fluid that flows inwards and outwards
minister for solid waste
for matter and destiny
minister for wounds

15 comments:

  1. Penni. I adore this one. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm a little more alive for reading that.
    You might well write a poem :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous9:24 PM

    Just beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  4. My goddess, woman, you have a way. xo

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous11:56 AM

    Absolutely. Spot on. Timely. Beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love this one. LOVE.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous11:06 PM

    can i please repost this (with link and credit) to tumblr?

    it is wonderful.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous4:25 AM

    This is wonderful Penni! Thank you.

    Miss Buttons xo

    ReplyDelete
  9. Reposts with credit and link are totally fine @anonymous

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous11:12 AM

    thank you for permission to post. i am looking forward to sharing :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous7:00 AM

    This is great. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  12. This is beautiful!

    ReplyDelete