I spent some time looking through old emails this week... Sometimes they let me hear my mom's voice in my ear and I remember that she is always on my shoulder.
In fall 2009, I participated in FemSex - The Female Sexuality Workshop - that many of you know and participated in as well. One specifically meaningful assignment for me was... to make "a map of home." I just found my map, and I wanted to share it here for you. I don't think I've shared it with anyone other than my mom herself. The quality is... lacking, but I think you'll get the idea.
Leah (Lola) is my mom's mom. Amalia is my dad's mom. Naomi is my mom. And then there's me. Aya, you might recognize the bamboo rafts from Thailand... The poem is below. Interestingly, I am ever more grateful for the monthly ceremony of bleeding, even though I am currently in some different kind of ceremony... all feels related to motherhood and my ancestors who brought me to this moment.
Love and gentleness,
einat
poem in praise of menstruation
lucille clifton
if there is a river
more beautiful than this
bright as the blood
red edge of the moon if
there is a river
more faithful than this
returning each month
to the same delta if there
is a river
braver than this
coming and coming in a surge
of passion, of pain if there is
a river
more ancient than this
daughter of eve
mother of cain and of abel if there is in
the universe such a river if
there is some where water
more powerful than this wild
water
pray that it flows also
through animals
beautiful and faithful and ancient
and female and brave
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