Behold
the abortionists chair
not leather, for leather is thirsty
this chair is wreathed in glossy rubber
that can be wiped down and disinfected
to mute the smell of blood
this chair does not owe its shape
to comfort, nor seeks it
nay, the very contour is built upon a premise
bringing life should not be a sentence
women are not incubators
nor second-class citizens who
have no right to their own
crown of thorns that is choice
these women and girls
climb into the chair tearfully
the tears are not because they are forced
to leave behind a piece of them
but the slow sorrow of particular relief
regret that contraception failed
regret that he left her destitute
regret this is her 6th pregnancy and she is unwell
regret life is hard and she cannot, she cannot
bring a child into the world
relief that she has a choice.
Before entering the clinic they watch from their car
swells of protestors with plastic babies attached to placards
chant and throng hate and intolerance
thinking how little has changed in 400 years
how if nobody was watching
that crowd would fall upon the girl, the woman
and have her bloody guts for garters
if they could get away with it
a murder of crows, the sycophant irony
they are trying to save just as they
fantasize about killing.
These women trapped in their cars stare at colorless clouds
a chain of ants climb along cement walkway
easily crushed, invisible to us, these women feel
a simpatico; the worth of life, of value, of other’s moral high-ground
as those who believe themselves untouchable, eat with their heavy knife and fork
bleeding steak at lunchtime pontification
lashing the sin of woman, swallowing globs of meat
without thought of the dumb beast who trawled
to the slaughter yard in a cart of wide eyed animals
who knew they were going to die
facing it without words.
The chair has seen the doctor
wiping her brow as she gives freedom of choice back to women
whose womb holds the viability of that life, not politicians
whose legs pucker with the cold of heavy instruments
and they say she chose this as a form of contraception?
They say she is evil and has no compassion?
They who would have her led like muted cow to slaughter
speaking on her behalf, feigning they speak for her murdered child
painting easy shame to denigrate her dignity as life bearer
which necessarily includes a symbiotic understanding
it’s never that simple and you can’t speak for me!
How society thinks they own bodies but won’t pay maternity leave
believing a coat-hanger legacy unworthy
no reason to grant real lasting equality
as her body roils with morning sickness
as she knows she cannot bring a child into this world
this world of carnivores eating steak at lunchtime
gazing at the fine legs of a slender waisted woman
walking from the bar and back to bring them a drink
the very same men and women who pervert justice
calling a girl a whore if she drank before she was raped
a child ‘gagging for it’ if she wore a short skirt
asking; are you sure you didn’t lead him on?
Thinking a prostitute unworthy of consideration
rape a corrective necessity for lesbians.
These things are not footnotes in history
they happen every day
a world that still doesn’t grant equality for women
thinking it preferable to
spray paint clinics, shut them down, starve them of resources
shoot their staff, shame those women who
knew they couldn’t bring a child into the world
didn’t want to be an incubator for an adoption agency
who profits adopting out babies of young mothers
whom they have guilted into remaining pregnant
because any abortion is a sin, don’t you know you will go to Hell?
But isn’t Hell a place where you are a second-class-citizen?
Your rights eroded, your body controlled
by all means choose, keep a baby, or not
but to have no say in what happens in your womb?
Hell is shame placed on your every action — trapped, trapped, trapped
yes I would say that is hell
a world where clinics are closed and protestors have nowhere to hate anymore
so they come up with something else
(because they will)
it’s not even about sparing little defenseless babies
if that were true they’d give a damn about all those unwanted kids of color in foster care
it’s hate of convenience, a conviction of superiority, a penchant for judgement
extended through the laws of patriarchy and beyond
twisting religion and doctrine to your will, as if you speak for Gods
controlling what others do with their bodies, like you are one
even in cases of rape and incest because; it’s not the innocent child’s fault, meting out the sentence
let’s ask ourselves then, whose fault is it? A society where rape isn’t taken seriously or punished?
Or people who think a survivors rights are worthless?
The abortionists chair is gathering dust
and some people cheer this as they bite into
their $50 dollar steak and pieces of a life far more sentient when it was ended
get stuck like slivers of placenta
in their righteous clenched teeth.
Who then, we ask
is the greater criminal?
The woman who seeks choice or the hypocrite who denies her
the solace of saying what her own body
will bear?
You may be familiar with the phenomenon. Having written one story, the only way to find out what happened next was to write a sequel.
I’d quote, but they’re so many lines that deserve it. This is . . . it just needed to be written. And thank you for doing so.
No words to add to this but Amen
Fantastic! You made me want to go back to marching in the streets AGAIN! BECAUSE IT NEVER BLOODY ENDS. This is wonderful. Standing ovation and much applause.
I am so glad you wrote this today as only a moment ago I visited a blog decrying abortion as a sin.. where is the recognition of the complexity of this issue, something you have so powerfully given a voice in this poem. Thank you for that from someone who chose this option 6 times out of what I believe to be a conscience..
Thank you Bob. I see you have been very busy over at Christine’s site, having written a lot of stories. I tried to catch up on those and read the other day. Well done you!
Your words made me tear up because you know how I value you.
🖤❤️💙
Everything here, raw power and momentum. You took this down like a boxer with strength and stamina and grace to spare and I punched the air and shouted YES! at the end.
Thank you SO much !!! I did just March three weeks ago and a woman around seventy got up and spoke and said why are we still here? It was so emotional. I’m so glad I did. I can’t get pregnant but it doesn’t mean I don’t understand the right to choose for those who can. 💜
Thank you very much for reading this. I wanted to stand up for women who may one day not have a choice. It worries me that this could happen. People think if you’re pro choice you are pro abortion bit nobody is pro abortion they are pro choice and not having others control a woman’s body. Such an irony people object to other “sanctions” but wouldn’t see not giving a woman choice over her own body, a sanction.
I’m so glad it worked because it is an important subject so I didn’t want to mess it up. It scares me that basic rights of choice are being eroded from multiple directions. I don’t even understand it. Do people really believe women want to kill babies? Urgh. I’ve never met a woman who had an abortion without regret that it came to that. But they were so thankful to have the Choice. I don’t understand why people can’t see why eliminating that choice returns is to the dark ages. Is it because I’m incumbered by doctrine?
This is excellent, Candice – and most powerful. Thank you so much for writing it. (Sorry I’ve been out of touch. Was inactive online due to new serious health problems. Have thought of you often and wondered how you are. We need to connect via email!)
I know its ridiculous. Plus often it is the responsible choice for all.involvrd those blinded by their own judgement see only at such a shallow level. I am so glad you Did advocate for that more compassionate respectful perspective.
I know they have no compassion at all and all there judgement comes out of a black and white poorly nuanced point of view. To force a woman to have a baby she can not nurture us nit compassionate and what about victims of violence? Plus the angels say each child not bought to term understands why from a soul perspective. Lorna Byrne writes about this in her book on angels Angels In My Hair.
Amazing. I feel like you’ve captured every quandry of the issue. <3
I’m listening to the Supreme Court’s thoughts today through gritted teeth. Absurd that we’re ‘still here’ – so I had to write something. Thank you for reading it!
Interestingly I had more ‘reads’ of this poem than I believe any other I’ve ever posted (248 reads) but not as many likes as usual (I get few likes but just compared to the typical) which I think is telling. People may support this but they don’t want to post it – talk about it – do anything to keep those rights and then it will be too late
I believe it. Taking a stand may be a bit out of their comfort zone.
<3