"It"

So the animals like the donkeys came in two-by-two to Noah’s ark, but now there are like 700 donkeys…how comes there are so many?

The lady plants the seed in the garden and then the man comes and waters it.

The baby? Oh the stork carried it from a special place in the sky and brought it here.

the unspoken word

the taboo topic

the thing everyone is doing but no one is talking about

“it”

pictures circulate via middle school students phones

the girl walks the hall as every knowing eye turns

raucous boys celebrate in sweaty locker room

hidden magazines in bottom of closet

“it”

paralysing parents

through fear and shame

unable to speak

passing a book to an inquisitive child

and sending them on their way

generation after generation

remains tight-lipped

“it”

we were all made with “it”

we will all do “it”

but yet we don’t want to talk about “it”

we cry over youth impregnated and diseased

we weep over outfits of binge-drinking teens

shock fills us at dance moves of gyrating kids

but yet we are silent

we still call it “it”

and just “it” will disappear until the day

they say “I do”

“it”

that which is hidden

can never be healed

the thing in the dark

must be brought to the sun

the field of freedom

enjoying the light

where we sit and discuss

we are open

it’s right

yesterday’s bible session gone awry

spent sharing with girls

about all the unsaid

answering questions

pre-empting their struggles

breaking the silence

let’s talk about sex

educate our kids

let’s talk about sex

and stop handing out books

let’s talk about sex

in everyday conversation

let’s talk about sex

be honest about our experiences

let’s talk about sex

and not be ashamed

let’s talk about sex

let’s talk about sex.

Before it’s too late.