…If I had been born a girl,

would I put myself through the pain of later life

or given in to this drill like resonance that courses

through my spine, like a jack hammer gone mad

and which turns my sick to bile and my thoughts

to a looping insanity…

If I had been born a girl…

I would hope I would have even more compassion

than I hopefully am in possession of now,

and be able to forgive even those that are unforgivable in their actions