“Feminism is a socialist, anti-family, political movement that encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians.”
-Pat Robertson, political sphincter
the womb isn’t your cemetery
your fire escape, your sticks
and stones diatribe
it isn’t empty swan song or slick-shoed pole dance
it isn’t without fire, without magnanimous
thunder roar nor the strength of eggshell around embryo
it is all things physics
it is all things holy and unholy
the womb
the belly
the mound
the convex and concave
the body song
the abortion
the birth
the afterbirth
murmur congealed
purple and pulsating placenta
the womb isn’t your political bastard
your 5 o’ clock news
top story whore
ballot stuffer
wedge issue appetizer plate
the womb isn’t
the womb isn’t
the womb isn’t
a third-rate quote
it is fire-spark
it is Corn Goddess
Tonatzin, eater
of the good filth
and maker of man
and woman
the water-rush of menses
it is the last blood kernel
protected by the husk
The first Chicana poet to be elected as the Albuquerque City Poet Laureate, Jessica Helen Lopez will hold this tenure from 2014-2016. Recently listed as 30 Poets in their 30’s by MUZZLE magazine, Lopez is a nationally recognized award-winning slam poet, and holds the title of 2012 and 2014 Women of the World (WOW) City of ABQ Champion. She’s also a member of the Macondo Foundation. Founded by Sandra Cisneros, it is an association of socially engaged writers united to advance creativity, foster generosity, and honor community. Her first collection of poetry, Always Messing With Them Boys (West End Press, 2011) made the Southwest Book of the Year reading list and was also awarded the Zia Book Award presented by NM Women Press. Her recent chapbook, Cunt.Bomb. is published by Swimming With Elephants Publication. She is the founder of La Palabra – The Word is a Woman collective created for and by women and gender-identified women. Lopez is a Ted Talk speaker alumni and her talk is entitled, Spoken Word Poetry that Tells HERstory. You may find some of Lopez’s work at these sites –LaPalabra.abqnorthwest.com, thebakerypoetry.com, and asusjournal.org. Her work has been anthologized in A Bigger Boat: The Unlikely Success of the Albuquerque Slam Scene (UNM Press), Earth Ships: A New Mecca Poetry Collection (NM Book Award Finalist), Tandem Lit Slam (San Francisco), Adobe Walls, Malpais Review, SLAB Literary Magazine and the upcoming Courage Anthology: Daring Poems for Gutsy Girls (Write Bloody Press).
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