Moon Blood by Ericka Rivera Figueroa
POETRY
My blood is a jellyfish, bobbing red against crystalline waters.
An unborn child, floating nameless, shapeless in an endless nothing.
Lately, this blood blooms fire lilies.
Sprouting from within, they come with a throbbing.
The kind I imagine comes from the pleasure-pain of having you inside me.
Every month, these flowers decay,
leaving streaks of spider-legged corpses.
Water-ribbon petals reaching out to remind me of unclaimed motherhood.
No, this isn’t the discomfort I’d like to feel.
I need not be reminded that to rid myself of this blood,
something else must take its place.
To look on stained satin, white cotton, and lace is defiance.
Why should freedom from birth doom me to war with my body?
Ericka Rivera Figueroa (she/her) is a Puerto Rican writer, editor, translator, and cosplayer with a degree in English Literature and a Master’s in Translation from the University of Puerto Rico. Growing up, she was always passionate about books, video games, and anime. She now spends her time bringing those interests into academic circles. Her work has been published in Tonguas Literary Magazine and Evento Horizonte, and presented in several pop culture conferences. Currently, she is in the process of publishing her first book. You can find her on Instagram at @_erickaconcyk and @kono_ericka_da.
