During menstruation, girls and women around the world face many complex challenges, including stigma, lack of access to menstrual hygiene products, ostracization from communities, dropping out from school, and more. “Made of Fire” aims to raise awareness about the critical and taboo topic of periods.
[Read Related: Book Review and Interview-‘Well-Behaved Indian Women’ by Saumya Dave]
Made of Fire
The first time
I saw
blood
my mother cried
and I thought
I made
a mistake.
She said
there’s a revolution
in you
in our necks
and spines.
We house wars
under our bellies
they put us in
tiny rooms to
pretend
we’re simple.
They’ll try
to whittle
you into
a lighter color
thin your
words
into gossamer
whispers.
Your cycle
is a weapon
to
create
destroy.
Don’t you ever
hate the vast country
of your body
so they feel
safe.
I rolled her
syllables in
my mouth
until they
became
fire.
[Read Related: World Menopause Day Musings of a Menopause Researcher]
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