Listen as the battle cry comes calling,
As the battle cry calls you to come.
Listen hard, for the enemy sings louder
He muffles her voice so it may not be heard
But silence is a war defeated
By the breasts of our ancestors;
And soft cries are greater than deep melodies
For they sing their own song
Irate
Aching
Detached—
Let the anger pour out drop by drop
Tear by tear; Let its hot breath burn
The soft of your cheeks, for they leave
us with battle scars that dress our skin as
w a r p a i n t
Signifying our battle; declaring our fight
We will sew shut the hems of our dresses
And slick back the curls in our hair
Indeed, I would have us lead disguised as the earth
That molded the rib once given to us
And mold another;

I will step out of my body and break bread
With fathers once foe;
Brothers turned enemy;
Lovers renounced adversary –
And silence the breeding of brutes
And creatures who have not known the light;
Who from sour fruit multiplied their numbers
And banned together in darkness.
I will step out of my body and turn bloodshed into wine
And with golden chalice as my token
I will serve from my cup a toast
To the war declared and conquered
By and in the name of, the female body.

LoCi graduated from Geneva College in 2013 with a BA in English Literature. LoCi currently works as a writer and copy editor. Also a female rights activist, LoCi volunteers at local organizations to fight sex slavery within Pittsburgh.