On February 19th, Art Academy of Cincinnati hosted a night of poetry reading full of dedicated, strong-willed, and politically activated poets. Below is the poem read by AAC student, Cody Dawn Bechtol.
“PSA THIS IS NOT OKAY 2018”
I am tired of my bleeding going unappreciated
I am tired of my wounds never healing
Open and seeping they wait for you to prod them again
Anticipating the pain as if it’s intrinsic to womanhood at this point
He never hit me but boy did my body suffer
Sleepless nights
Black under eyes from rubbing rubbing rubbing
Staring at the wide and plush moon
Gently dissociating
Tasers & Tampons
Tasers & Tampons
Tasers & Tampons
Tasers & Tampons
Tasers & Tampons
Tasers & Tampons
Tasers & Tampons
Tasers & Tampons
Tasers & Tampons
Tasers & Tampons
Tasers & Tampons
Tasers & Tampons
Tasers & Tampons
Tasers & Tampons
Tasers & Tampons
Tasers & Tampons
Tasers & Tampons
Tasers & Tampons
Clinging tightly to my taser and my tampons
You pass me with that bald eagle on your license plate
Men in pickup trucks scare me more than almost anything else in this world
859-667-2958
213-922-7046
513-299-7254
859-927-3001
513-438-2183
575-418-6124
513-449-1492
651-529-3240
513-401-6852
513-880-5358
513-428-6124
513-665-3892
213-237-1091
470-305-0873
513-665-4341
You think your time has come but you’re wrong
I fantasize about stooping to your level
What if we all literally began to fight back
Hurting the men who slink behind us down alleys
And follow us through department stores
You get off on the look of discomfort painted across my face
Whispering creepy nothings to me in the line at Home Depot
I imagine the look of surprise on yours when I pounce
Women are not a threat to you
Why do you treat us as such
You hit us with no provocation
Your rape us while we are fully clothed
We refuse to be powerless anymore
