The Day Mum went to Westminster

I had a fear

of the smear,

Last time

was sore,

The poster

by the door

reminded

me,

I had to go

slow but sure

and kind,

The smear was done,

There is a cream you know

she said,

I’ll see the lady doc

I said.

 

I took my note

of two words

in my hand

and saw the lady doc,

Do you forget

she said,

Oh no

I lied,

Yes

I said

eyes down,

Postmenopausal

she said,

And just like that

I went

from young

to old.

 

I wasn’t sold

on HRT,

Was it for me?

I needed to think

of pink,

Reminders

of scares,

of

cancer.

 

Needle in,

blood out,

And so I learn

I must have

sailed

through,

I scream

silently,

through

my

stare,

No more curse?

asked the nurse,

No I did not bleed

And no, I had no

hot flushes,

The pill

my mask

saw to that.

 

Bloods back,

A mistake?

No

she said,

Fertility gone,

just like that.

 

I phone the doc,

HRT

I decide

is

for

me.

 

HRT, finding me,

No more waves

of anxiety

for no reason,

Calmness rushes

through my veins,

The fog lifts,

the joints

ease up,

pain gone,

Happy,

HRT,

finding me.

 

The rage,

the rage,

The RAGE

I cannot

dispel,

Taboo?

Ya boo,

Sucks

What the bleep?

Menorage is my reaction,

propels me to

decisive action,

The online lure,

I cannot resist,

I am a clicktivist,

For sure.

 

I start an online petition,

No fear of any repetition,

My head above the parapet,

Too late, it’s live,

Too late, for any regret.

 

An invite to Westminster

beckons,

No time for nerves

I reckon,

I’m wrong.

 

I’m made to talk

the whole way up,

You did that

on

purpose,

My friend

smiles

at my

excitement.

 

Keep calm

you must,

talk

to

strangers,

at a roundtable,

no less.

 

The table

was indeed

round,

I held back

as usual,

And then,

a friendly

smile,

a look

willing

me on

with her eyes,

I interrupted,

I didn’t care,

Nothing to lose,

except perhaps

my

dignity,

But no,

just

respect,

a space to talk,

a voice for women,

who wish to

work,

to care,

to mother,

to live, to love,

for working mums,

just like me.