Hello dark red, my old friend

Hello dark red, my old friend
I see you’ve come from me again
Because the lining of my womb’s seeping
From my cunt while I was sleeping
And the staining that was planted in my bed
Is dark red
All thanks to menstruation

In restless dreams I bleed alone
Tampons, pads, on cobblestones
Neath the halo of a bathroom lamp
I feel my vulva all warm and damp
When my womb is gripped by the stab of sudden cramps
That make me gasp
Because it’s time to menstruate

And in my naked form I saw
Three billion sisters, maybe more
People bleeding without speaking
People hurting without seeking
The simple ease of a shared hot pad
No one dared
Discuss the pain: menstruation

Friends, said I, you do not know
Silence allows shame to grow
Speak the words you might teach all
Clasp hands that we might reach all
And the shame that is silencing our voice
Will turn to dust
And we will talk menstruation

And my sisters danced beneath the stars
As the Goddesses we are
And the stations played our singing
The words that we were forming
We will share, and the tales of our bleeding will be shouted from roofs and hills
And will fill
The void around menstruation

With appreciation and apologies to Simon and Garfunkel

CaroLyn

September 6th, 2009 at 4:12 pm · Reply

I always loved the original song – reminds me of my mother. I love your version even more! Hoping to not be bleeding for a bit longer, but will think of this when it starts up again.

Arwyn

September 7th, 2009 at 10:04 pm · Reply

Thanks! That is quite a compliment. (I’m a fan of the song as well; that’s why it was in my head to be filked in the first place.)