Submission

it was never about
the children
never about the “lives lost”
but about the women
who chose pleasure over and over
instead of bearing your sin

you hated us
the ones who wouldn’t sit down
and confine our lives
to your homes and beds
you couldn’t take it
we refused to adore you
just because you wanted us

you wanted to punish us
you didn’t have to say it
we were raised to read
between your lines
sluts. blessings in disguise.
your tongue twists
trying to fit around our hips
swallowing our lives

(after all are
what are we worth
if you can’t have
a taste?)

our cardinal sin was never
having sex out of wedlock
never not wanting a child
it was fucking without permission
loving without submission

Shout out to Rachel Charlton-Dailey who asked me to write a piece on submission. if you love this poem, please donate to Planned Parenthood. We have a long fight ahead.