Lynne Viti

Thirteen

In history we were studying Reconstruction
when something rushed out of me
I waited for the bell, ran to the girls’ room
 
the blood pooled then it dried
I wiped the blood away
with brown paper towels.
 
I didn’t go to the nurse
went on to Latin class
--Gallia est omnis divisa in partes tres—.
 
At home I found the sanitary napkins
in a bottom drawer—
fastened napkin to belt like I’d practiced
 
My mother asked me when did it start
how did I get through school,
how did I get home? Stop talking, I thought
 
Now I could say I got my period
some of the girls said I got my monthlies
one said I fell off the roof, another said The flag’s up
 
I didn’t mind the cramps or the backache because
now I had my power      I didn’t mind the dull ache
no swimming for five days at Girl Scout camp
 
Didn’t mind the surprise    
the blood accidents
every 28 days as far ahead
 
as I could imagine
the dark red flow
smelling of iron and earth
 




Lynne Viti is Poet Laureate of Westwood, Massachusetts. Her most recent poetry collection is The Walk to Cefalù (Cornerstone Press, 2022). She facilitates a Poets in the Schools program and a biweekly poetry workshop at the Westwood Public Library. Her latest mini-chapbook is Waxing Gibbous Moon, (Origami Poems Project 2023).