Taboo? (Maybe…) Poem (Yes!) (“A Woman Needing to Pee”)
Woman Needing To.... (image by Diana Barco)
The below poem is posted as part of dVerse Poets Pub, Saturday Poetics prompt, hosted today by Kellie Elmore. The prompt was for a poem that is provocative or deals with a subject that’s taboo. As a (believe it or not!) slightly shy person, I find it very hard to post something both new and taboo, so am posting an older poem (one, that I’ve had time to get used to.)
A Woman Needing to Pee
A woman needing to pee,
she steps into the sea, knees
salt, a piercing balm, her
shaved legs grimace, gasp
cold, still she strolls thighward,
as far as she is able, needing to pee,
squats needing to hide it,
rubs water over her arms to hide it better,
acting out a woman too timid
to go out far, a woman
needing to cool herself. But
she craves warmth and secretes it,
a secret warmth, wet-warming
all the sea.
Stretching tall
and cold now only where air
licks skin, she dives
into the afterglow,
a woman who swims.
A little background: the poem was originally written as part of a “magnetic poetry exercise,” a kind of arbitrary but freeing exercise. It can be found in my first book of poetry, Going on Somewhere, poems by Karin Gustafson, pictures by Diana Barco, cover by Jason Martin. Check it out!
(PS – the new header above is from the cover of Going on Somewhere, by Jason Martin.)
Explore posts in the same categories: poetryTags: Diana Barco, dVerse Poets Pub, dVerse taboo poem, Going On Somewhere, Karin Gustafson, manicddaily, Manicddaily poems, poem about peeing, poem about the sea
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ManicDDaily 
October 15, 2011 at 2:37 pm
a great taboo response – reminds me of when we are out on the lake all day and having to pee in the water – it is so hard for me to stay still long enough to do it because I am afraid of the little fishies nibbling me 🙂
October 15, 2011 at 2:43 pm
ha nice…was excited to see you had joined in…would you believe my son would not pee outside…we were traveling at night and he had never peed outside and we were far from any bathroom…it took a lot of convincing…lol sheila on the fish…smiles.
October 15, 2011 at 3:10 pm
You know, I was just feeling bad to think of all the more provocative ones–you know about sex or violence! And this one seems awfully mild, though I don’t believe it is the most written about subject in the world. (Perhaps there’s a reason for that.)
I’m sure there will be more opportunities to post about sex and violence. Ha.
October 15, 2011 at 2:45 pm
haha so cool but i really think you shouldn’t publish the most intimate secrets of us women here….haha
October 15, 2011 at 3:40 pm
Congratulations on your honesty and your poetry! I think many of us have been in that situation, lol.
October 15, 2011 at 3:52 pm
Nothing like swimming in God’s potty … I love how the animal function is given a cathedral halleloo here. The sea is all … Brendan
October 15, 2011 at 4:10 pm
great description… honestly though I always find it hard to pee in the sea. I guess the rhythm of the waves distracts me…
October 15, 2011 at 4:15 pm
This is great -amusing and honest equals interesting!
A great picture – well penned -I loved reading this piece
fantastic
golden! lol
October 15, 2011 at 4:52 pm
Thanks so much, Aaron.
October 15, 2011 at 4:26 pm
Well, hopefully people don’t do this in my YMCA swimming pool!!!! Ocean or lake? Well…hopefully far away from me. LOL. This was good & definitely a taboo truth!
October 15, 2011 at 4:52 pm
Ha!
October 15, 2011 at 4:43 pm
L.O.L cute little poem here.
October 15, 2011 at 4:52 pm
Disguising our normal bodily functions from society is about the biggest taboo there is–I mean, if you can be arrested for it, it’s probably taboo. So I think you hit the prompt on target—also, this is just a neat poem in its own right…makes the subject matter new.
October 15, 2011 at 4:54 pm
I realize there’s a real distinction between taboo and provocative and feel a bit bad not to post something more provocative! Maybe a reason for taboos! Oh well. Thanks.
October 15, 2011 at 5:06 pm
Ha..I love this.. I live on the gulf coast where the water is quite warm and as soon as my feet hit the water (shhh..i need to pee)..
It’s is glorious to do that in the big old gulf(shh..don’t tell)
This was a fun read!!!
October 15, 2011 at 5:12 pm
Nice read. Definitely not something that instantly came to my mind when thinking of a taboo subject- but without a doubt it is, and it’s a worldwide taboo, not just north american in nature. Great idea for the piece and glad I had a chance to read it, thanks
October 15, 2011 at 5:21 pm
Funny one! Know the feeling.
October 15, 2011 at 6:08 pm
but, try doing this in the dead sea…nope…don’t try, because the burning sensation will do you in.
October 15, 2011 at 6:21 pm
Good advice!
October 15, 2011 at 6:31 pm
A taboo tackled really well ….my kids always had to wait to get to a toilet when they were little ! thanks for sharing
October 15, 2011 at 6:37 pm
Thank you!
October 15, 2011 at 7:45 pm
Love it!
October 15, 2011 at 8:28 pm
well, you did describe someone breaking a silent taboo here.
all the false posturing to fool any who might be watching (and we all know, all of us having been is such situations, that the Whole Beach is Watching you!) LOL
in a world of euphemisms today…just saying the word ”pee” in the title, could produce some uncomfortable effects.
great poem! thank you for sharing.
October 15, 2011 at 8:45 pm
This is so intimate and sweet at the same time. Isn’t it a shame we’re made to shame and fear our bodies, we women, when we’re all used to men whizzing wherever they like, practically. xxxj http://parolavivace.blogspot.com . xxxj
October 15, 2011 at 8:58 pm
I love this! My favorite part is the saltwater on freshly shaved legs. Excellent touch.
October 15, 2011 at 9:00 pm
Thanks so much, Mama Zen!
October 15, 2011 at 10:14 pm
haha… now I need to pee and I don’t have an ocean nearby. I absolutely love this.
Beth
October 16, 2011 at 1:35 am
lol, this was definitely unlike any other I’ve read tonight. I love the varying degrees of taboo poetry this week. Definitely a fun night of reading all the way around so far 🙂
October 16, 2011 at 5:53 am
There is nothing like the warm rush in a wet suit in the Pacific Ocean
(alone of course):)
October 16, 2011 at 6:51 am
Ha. thanks.
October 16, 2011 at 6:23 pm
You peed in the ocean? OMG! I JUST SWAM IN THAT OCEAN A LITTLE BIT AGO! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? been swimmin’ in fish pee all my life…… I can’t imagine your innocuous “secretions” could be any worse! (shhhhhhhh…. don’t tell anybody: I peed in it too….) …… 🙂
October 16, 2011 at 6:25 pm
Ha ha! Best comment ever! Hope you survived all that!
October 16, 2011 at 6:40 pm
Nature does call. Good read.
October 16, 2011 at 9:11 pm
Oow this rings a bell – if only the sea was nearer!
Anna :o]
October 16, 2011 at 9:20 pm
yes! (Well, I actually don’t live far from the sea, only my nearest beach may be Coney Island, which doesn’t actually sound that inviting!)
October 17, 2011 at 6:55 am
Just don’t drink the water.
Good poem.