"Woman"
By The Blood and The Bones
you see something crippling and delicate in all women
was it your mother or your father who taught you that we must all be handled with sympathy?
surely not the one who tore her body open
to give you life
so, I ask you to try and understand
that I am more than what you have been taught a woman
can or should be
more than what you have attached yourself to
out of convenience or comfort
or even pride
more than tenderness and fragility
I am beyond comprehension to a man who seeks simplicity
born with war inside my own body
I have tasted blood
battled demons
given more than what I had
burying, without ceremony, versions of myself not strong enough
I know the feel of the axe just as well as the wound
the road just as fondly as the rock
and yet I can be moved
I can be loved
I can still be gentle
and that is why some women are flowers
and some are warriors
The Blood and the Bones is the pseudonym for a former lover of a US servicemember. Follow her here.
What’s happening at VetRep…
Listen to our latest episode with Mitchel Coffman on the Savage Wonder Podcast, where we interview incredibly talented musicians, artists, writers, and theater professionals, who also happen to be veterans.
The parlor is back! Our first show of the season titled “Dunkirk…and Other Surprises” is a feature of seven veteran authored 10-minute plays. Join us for an evening of both drama and comedies, accompanied by dessert and a refreshing mocktail! Seating is limited and shows sell out fast, so get your tickets now and make sure you have a front-row seat with us on April 6th. Get your tickets here.