Diana's
Philosophies
Baby Girl,
With Uterus, Speaking
By Jan Ireland
A beautiful wrenching
poem, composed by a writer friend, was posted in what
should have been friendly territory. Someone
who called herself a Republican posted an angry, lashing
'unless you have a uterus you cannot speak for me'
reply. The baby was a girl, and
had a uterus, and will reply. First,
with permission, here is Tim Siggia's beautiful poem.
WHO WILL
SPEAK FOR ME?
My mother
doesn't want me.
It's just a matter of time.
She wants a surgeon to kill me,
Though I've committed no crime.
All I want is just to live,
And to have my right to be.
But I cannot speak for myself:
Who will speak for me?
Who will speak for me?
I can hear my mother's voice
It's going to be today.
She says, "Please do it quickly now,
And I'll be on my way."
All I want is just to live,
But my mother wants to be free.
The Supreme Court spoke for her:
Who will speak for me?
Who will speak for me?
The inside of my mother's womb
Is invaded by the surgeon's knife.
He turns away; his job is done,
And so is my life.
All I wanted was just to live,
But my life was never to be.
I hear my brothers and sisters crying:
"Who will speak for me?"
"Who will speak for me?"
"Who will speak -- for me?"
Dear Lady,
A person with a uterus
was speaking. I was a beautiful
baby girl. I would have been wonderful
to know, with my hopes and dreams. I
would have gone to school, and had a best friend,
and made plans for the rest of my life.
Even a child not wanted does those things.
I would not have been
a lot of trouble growing up. I
would have endured the hurts and slights and impatience
from a mom who didn't want me. Children
not wanted learn to do that, and girls are better
at it than boys.
I would have endured and
held onto life, until I could get out of that house
and onto my own. Then I would have
changed things.
I would have made something
of myself, and planned for my future.
I would have had high standards, not given
myself to just anyone. And when
I had found a man who had the wonderful qualities
I would have liked in a dad, I would have married
him to start a life.
And we would have planned
children. Planned little babies
that we would hold and love. And
planned for me to be home with them when they were
little. And I would have been a
good mom.just an ordinary good mom. .
I am so sorry you did not have a mom like the
mom I would have been.
But I am so glad that
you got to live. If you live, you
can always change.
Babies are real, and they
are babies, at the moment they are conceived.
Some day science will show that, as they now
show you pictures of my development. Even
you will understand then. Until
that time, I and others like me are killed when we
are not convenient.
You know.you can always
not have sex, until you're ready for the possibility
of a child. Or would that be too
inconvenient? You're right that
you cannot legislate morality. But
you can legislate life for the unborn.
How I wish you had wanted that for me.
Still, I am glad you
got to live. If you're still living,
you can change.
Yours,
Baby Girl.with the uterus
required to speak for you