the pain of release

The cycle begins again.
The pain, the blood, manifests
throughout and outside my body.
I will watch my body swell with pulsing blood
and inflamed tissues.
I will hear her cry out in pain
as she sheds what no longer serves her.
I will feel her energy deplete
as she asks for stillness, for rest, for love.

I will hold her, nurture her, and love her
through the pain of release
as many times as she needs.

I want to believe in her

I want to believe in my body
I want to believe we can do this,
that we were meant to do this.

I know she’s strong
I know she would do amazing
come through on the other side
successful.
I know she’s capable of anything.

I know her
and I want to believe in her
but with every month that passes
it feels harder and harder to believe.

Maybe,
I don’t know my body that well after all.

maybe this time will be different

You think you’ve finally done it,
done it right and at the right time,
maybe this time it will be different.
No.
It’s the same as any other.
The pain from your mind, heart and uterus
submerges you in blood
until you emerge, days later.
The pain from the uterus may retreat
but from the mind and heart, does not.
It lingers
and grows
and swells for weeks
until next month, when again,
you’ll think you’ve finally done it
and then you wait
in hopeful optimism
that this time will be different.