Becoming a Woman: A poetry of Pains and Paints
- Obasan Taiwo James-Yakub

Myths have no clue of her might
she looks feeble but not as described by the fables
she is strong and getting stronger
Her power no one can estimate
Welcoming the uninvited visit from Aunt Flo
Her body she hates like a rag
Her harsh but profitable monthly lady business
That's only for the time of the month
when she earns Her Red Badge of courage
The moon time and the Crimson tide
checking her into the Red Roof Inn
Oh ops, she has caught a girl flu on her red wedding
Just to accept the Mother Nature's gifts at the Red Bar

Her Clothes we adore, her clot she detest
From the neck of her womb round the neck of her head
the pain, hammering her spine
too huge for Thor to bear
The gush within her legs causing ceaseless streams of pain
the Pains wrapped in cloth just for Her to see the stains
the mood of breaking and hating
the person she is,
the mode of payment for being the best of creatures
The love she wanted but sour
the hotness she felt melting like ice
Oh she wish the world knows her pain for their gains
The Day of choosing
she wished she had chosen to be different
she chose to be a comely princess
waiting to enjoy all her life in her royal castle
built in the paradise of her heart
little did she know,
that she is to be refined
in the hottest of furnace monthly
little did she know,
that all the paintings were a bait
the real deal comes with the torture of Aunt Flo
her beautiful wings will be too weak to fly
her strong legs will be paralysed
by the powers within her legs
the rivers flowing from her crust
the candies clotted with pains
the Pains irritated by stains
Only for her to be ridiculed
by the ignoramus
of her strength and her agony
to breed the best for the society
the society doesn't understand
her worth and dignity
the hardest task is
to be a woman