I woke up when my husband came to bed
I woke up when the cat snuffled my head
I woke up before the sun rose
Then I woke up at 6 on the nose

Sleeping through the night a distant dream
This all seems like some evil scheme
They say I’m going through a change
Why does it make me smell so strange

My body temperature rises quickly
All this sweating makes me prickly
The symptoms of this change are myriad
Yet every month I still get my period

When will this transition finally end
The highs and lows drive me around the bend
I say that I’m truly ready to be done
But I know…
the grieving has just begun.

-Amy Yildizli 2016