how did they miss
to tell her this one thing
that the distance between
her child bearing hips
would qualify as the abyss
of relentless accusations
of letting herself go and be
as undesirable as they claim she is
they’ve should sent honest speech
in tones unhidden
without codes and secrets
that the stretch of her bosom
that nurtures and feeds
would be a mat to wipe off jokes
about how undesirable they are to see
they should’ve said in simple terms
that this body of hers
in its shifts to accommodate
these gestational miracles
would be a playground of derisions
perhaps they should’ve clarified
that to tear the stitches of her back
to loosen her bones
to retch and heave
would be so offensive
then maybe she’d have
left it all untouched, unused
then all these bastards
with their louds mouths
wouldn’t have been born
in the first place
The Book Neighbourhood 