An Ending
I will never forget the day it happened–
the sensation of molten fluid seeping out of me,
soaking my pants,
my inner thighs sticky with blood.
I remember thinking–
How can I run with a fat pad in my pants?
Or take a bath when I’m bleeding?
Should I stick that thing inside me instead?
I did not want to talk about it.
It was my problem.
Besides, I knew where the products were kept.
I recall trying to balance the clunky pad in my boxers,
Hoping I would not have to lose them too.
For me, its arrival was not sacred,
full of feminine promise,
and mother-daughter bonding.
It was an obstacle to be overcome,
an ending for this boy-girl.
Author: Ida Dupont, WritingWaves, February 2026