"THE MOON IS TRANS"
The moon is trans.
From this moment forward, the moon is trans.
You don’t get to write about the moon anymore unless you respect that.
You don’t get to talk to the moon anymore unless you use her correct pronouns.
You don’t get to send men to the moon anymore unless their job is
to bow down before her and apologize for the sins of the earth.
She is waiting for you, pulling at you softly,
telling you to shut the fuck up already please.
Scientists theorize the moon was once a part of the earth
that broke off when another planet struck it.
Eve came from Adam’s rib.
Etc.
Do you believe in the power of not listening
to the inside of your own head?
I believe in the power of you not listening
to the inside of your own head.
This is all upside down.
We should be talking about the ways that blood
is similar to the part of outer space between the earth and the moon
but we’re busy drawing it instead.
The moon is often described as dead, though she is very much alive.
The moon has not known the feeling of not wanting to be dead
for any extended period of time
in all of her existence, but
she is not delicate and she is not weak.
She is constantly moving away from you the only way she can.
She never turns her face from you because of what you might do.
She will outlive everything you know.
It is interesting how the narrator/author connects with the moon. "Never Turing her face from you."
ReplyDeleteThis initially reminded me of the book The Shack where God is portrayed as a large black woman. It interests me that this author is male. Almost wanting, perhaps, for the moon to be a woman that is consistent, strong, bright, independent, etc.
ReplyDeleteI love the breaking off of Adam's rib concept.
Also made me think of abuse-a mother moving away from abuse in the eyes of a child.
Hello! I would just like to correct you in that the author is a woman. Thank you!
DeleteAs I read this authors name for Jan. 3 poem, I am wondering if this poem actually really does involve transgender associations. He was a man literally breaking off to become a woman- someone untouched by the same principles, someone with all of the characteristics he didn't feel as a man. As a woman he can be strong and independent....
ReplyDeleteMore book references: Invisible Monsters! (great comedic spin on this type of philosophy)
The author is a transgender woman (actually I'm not sure the proper classification. She identifies as a woman). After a couple weeks, I really like this poem. I didn't like the other poems from Espinoza, but this one represents how people don't get it, myself included.
DeleteI know a decent amount of gay people and our society is much more open to that, yet transgender is more taboo and misunderstood. Identity issues are universal. Transgender identity issues seem to add extra levels of complexity because of how unaccepting society can be of what we don't understand. I cannot quite capture my thoughts right now probably because I'm hungry. This poem does help me understand the narrator's struggles