At First - Alice Walker

At first I did not fight it.
I loved the suffering.
It was being alive!
I felt my heart pump the blood
that splashed my insides
with red flowers;
I savored my grief
like chilled wine.

I did not know my life
was being shredded
by an expert.

It was my friend Gloria
who saved me. Whose glance said, "Really,
you've got to be kidding. Other
women have already done this
sort of suffering for you,
or so I thought."