Speak Up Not Over
Joy Babbitt
Smile more – you say
Strolling the cracked sidewalks
Of the mothers’ backs you break
As I’m losing my mind,
Trying to find the words to say–
No.
In a way I can’t state,
One that doesn’t spark debate.
Negotiations always on the way we show our face
In the way skirt lengths are policed
Above the drinks that are laced
With the toxic masculinity
That sparks the violence, entitlement–
Over the ones that sleep with eyes open
And every sister, mother, daughter, paints a picture
Of the water we are drowning under
Hands rising up from the slaughter
We long for the future
Where we never had to have taught her
To walk with your keys between your knuckles
Like knives
And don’t falter – keep your wire sewn jaw shut
So the buzzing of flies can’t release.
It’d be rude of you to interrupt
So be polite, quiet and hide
You never know their reaction of being denied
If it’s the action of a trigger or killer or–
Calm down – you say
NotAllMen are the villains in your menstrual play
But how can I tell which ones from a cast
Are keeping in character or wearing the mask?
And when the second act comes back around
And from stage left, the sky falls down
With heavy splats and a hailstorm of–
Bloodied tampons shoved in pockets
Used as little cherry bombs.
But know that I don’t want a war
Just a chance to stand tall
Next to every other womxn
That has ever felt small.
So let me speak up
Before I’m caught in another knot
Of forgotten weeks of feeling numb
Stand side by side in alliance
But don’t forget to look around and ever closer
Until one day, you’ll learn how to
Speak Up Not Over