Mama explained periods to me when I was young,
Around a year before I got mine.
She used to tell me when she was tired because of period pain.
I got my period really early.
I was in the fourth grade.
I bled non-stop for two months or more,
Because I had a cyst on my ovaries.

I saw a lot of doctors,
And took a lot of medication,
Until I recovered without having to go through surgery.
I didn’t have a problem with my parents in the beginning of this phase,
On the contrary, my mother was so happy when I got it,
And she explained how to deal with it.
But I had a problem with mama’s straightforwardness when it came to talking about it.
She explained what the hymen was after that in a way that scared me.
She worried about me constantly and was wary of girls too, not just boys.
But in a way that was over the top and aggressive.

I’ll explain everything to my daughter.
I’ll let her know that her body is private and that no girl or boy should violate it.
But I’ll explain that to her gently,
Without making her scared of sex or having her doubt the intentions of every person.