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Poetry is just the evidence of life. If your life is burning well, poetry is just the ash. Leonard Cohen

Monday, July 1, 2013

He

source
...and when he woke,
he discovered that he was she
His face,
impossibly cute
His hands,
tiny and delicate
His chest,
once a beautiful plain,
overtaken by hills of breasts
and below...

He screamed
in a voice not his own
Punched the mirror
that had dared show him
what was not him

Only the tears
that ran down his face
seemed real,
hot and bitter.

This poem was inspired by a young man, who is struggling with gender dysphoria. I can never know what he is going through, but I hope that I have, at least, gained some sensitivity about the issue.

submitted for mindlovemisery, Prompt 10, The Metamorphosis

12 comments:

Pat Tillett said...

I can't even imagine having the anger, frustration and pain that must be part of a person who was born into the wrong body.

Your poem is full of those feelings.
Very powerful....

Fireblossom said...

It's not for the faint of heart, and it sure isn't a choice. It isn't a matter of thinking that being the other gender looks better, or of wanting to "switch". The heart mind and soul ARE one gender and the body is the other.

All my best to your friend.

Helena said...

That must be torture. I hope your friend gets all the help needed.

Brian Miller said...

can hardly imagine the journey he is on to figure that one out...and not something i have really thought on either so thanks for spinning me that direction...

Anonymous said...

Powerful writing wow blown away. You found a real example of being in the wrong body amazing, I have body dysmorphia so I have a hard time facing the mirror myself (for some reason I did not write about that go figure)

Marcoantonio Arellano (Nene) said...

Awareness is a reach toward sensitivity.

Gracias for sharing, mi amiga

Anonymous said...

heavy writing, delicately done

Crayotic Ramblings said...

This really got to me. Took my breath away. I can't begin to pretend to understand such a struggle. Beautifully done. The world needs more of You.

Buddah Moskowitz said...

Poignant and visceral - may he/she find his/her way.

Anonymous said...

Your friend is lucky to have someone willing to at least try to sympathize. Thank you for sharing.

hyperCRYPTICal said...

Beautifully and sensitively done.
These words
"Only the tears
that ran down his face
seemed real,
hot and bitter."
left me choked.
Anna :o]

George S Batty said...

I cannot find the words to tell you how powerful this is. Sometimes it's not necessary to totally understand someones else's pain...just understanding that there is pain is enough.