Hands Off

For this one, I’m adding a note here first for some context. I recently read an article about Trump suggesting “menstrual classes” for US women to help increase birth rates in America. Because you know…none of us seem to know how our bodies work. ๐Ÿ™„ The article was a little bit too Handsmaids Tale-ish to me, and so ludicrous that I simultaneously wanted to laugh and cry. The disgusting desire to control women’s health is just so disrespectful and alienating. I also can’t believe that it’s even happening to begin with. The ignorance and corruption. And at any rate, it also pissed me off, and so, of course, I wrote something in response to it. I wrote several stanzas, to be honest, but in the end, I only needed one.

The article, if you’re curious:

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/21/us/politics/trump-birthrate-proposals.html?smid=nytcore-android-share


I am thirty-six years old
I know what I need
I dont need a billionaire white man
telling me how to bleed

February thoughts

the second week of February
hit me pretty hard
I’m low on serotonin
scraping ice off my car

the winter wind
is biting at my face
as we try to stay warm
to insulate our place

the heat bill is so high
we’ll have to sell a kidney
just to pay are rent
(I’m really not kidding)

then in world news
a president breaking laws
an ignorant population
who can’t see his flaws

I’m struggling to stay awake
’cause I don’t really sleep
to wake up from this nightmare
watch the promises he keeps

snow melts and freezes
the road goes black to white
I’m on the sofa sneezing
will anyone stand and fight?

when democracy dies

when things get rough

when i feel trapped

by my responsibilities

i look up at the night sky

and think

…at least i’m still free


๐Ÿฅบ Our future here in the US is so uncertain. I’m scared of what our future looks like. No, I’m terrified. I’m so glad I get to watch the world burn around me because of someone I didn’t vote for. ๐Ÿ™„

AJM