THE C-SECTION
for V.M., who gave birth to a healthy baby who the state immediately took away, charging cruelty and neglect due to her choice not to have a C-section
i.
(words used in the post-appeal court decision confirming the ruling)
cut
clerk copy credible
custody concession
child-protective contraction
cut
cut
critical cut
care completed
cut
colleagues conceded
consistent counsel
certify copy consent
cut
clear convincing comprehended
cut
control compliance consent
cut
conduct contends
concepts constitutional
citing crisis clothing color
caseworker cleared
claim care
cut
case confirmed
concepts committed
condone conclude confront condition
cognitive competency
college–educated consequences
confront uncontrollable combative
control care
critical cause
contemplate
continue
comprehend
continue
consider
continue
control care carefully
cut
calling counsel calling
Charchman calling
Chancery calling Christopher
calling clerk counsel colleagues
calling Coleman
calling Collier
claim credibility
claim consent
complications
class compliance
conduct control
change
consider coping
cut
culpable criminal cruelty
countervailing color conditions
clearly conflicts
childhood cancelled
cut
civil compelling
clarified concern
cooperate counsel
confirm cruelty
contact court
confront childhood
culpable civil
comprehensive cruelty
clearly conflict
central complaint
compensation cured
comments
cut
confer color
confer cruelty
confer contraditions
cut corpus
citing compelling comprehensive court-ordered complications
cut
call cruelty care
call cruelty concern
chronic court cruelty
cause crisis
call concession
cut
court-ordered
childbirth
construct cocaine connection
construct criminal corpus
construct conditions
continuously comment
considering color
cannot contemplate
cut
ii.
(words nowhere/to be found)
calm circle
comfort
candles
cradle
cuddle
coo
crying
celebration
cute
cereal
crib
carseat
cookies
creation
crazy constellation
complicit complacency
complete confabulation
cement confusion
cloaked co-optation
common cattle
choke crush cram choice
clinical close-mindedness
cowards cowards cowards
crooked core
corrupt crumbs
cold closure
cornered contained
cloistered caged
cord chorus
congregation cry
challenge classism
capture conscience
cry courage
cry coercion
clap choir clemency
cry capable courageous champion
crucible carrying confidence
crucial chain
cry craving
cry creation
(cut)
—from Rattle #51, Spring 2016
Tribute to Feminist Poets
__________
Alexis Pauline Gumbs: “I am a queer black troublemaker and a black feminist love evangelist in Durham, North Carolina. My poetry follows the tradition of the black feminist poets whom I research and study. This set of poems is inspired by Toni Morrison, June Jordan, Marlene Nourbese Philip and many more.” (website)
