Poem: "The Changeling's Return"

[ysabetwordsmith]

This poem came out of the May 3, 2011 Poetry Fishbowl.  It was selected in the generally sponsored poetry poll.  It was inspired by a prompt from haikujaguar who related an anecdote about a transgender person using the changeling myth to retell their own story.  This is the heart of all storytelling, the power inherent in myths and folk tales -- it lets us

Comments

[zianuray]

I feel like that so strongly sometimes...but not often enough to do anything about it.

Yes...

[ysabetwordsmith]

... which puts one in a very odd position within the genderqueer community.

I'm much the same. This body doesn't suit my specs in a variety of ways, sex included; but there is nothing that can be done with available technology that would make an improvement, so I'm disinclined to bother. The shear is annoying, but not beyond my capacity to handle in most circumstances. (I have a great deal of sympathy for people who do find their birthbody uninhabitable as-is.)

Re: Yes...

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> I wouldn't call mine uninhabitable, but there are times when the specs for the body really don't seem to line up with those for the brain, gender- and other-wise. <<

Yeah. One of the more frustrating aspects for me is the processing-speed shear. My soul works faster than my mind, which works faster than my brain, which works faster than my fingers can type. This makes it challenging to write fiction if the download speed exceeds the maximum output speed, which creates odd skips.

>> It is a strange position to be in, but it seems to be getting slightly more recognition these days, for whatever that's worth. <<

That's an improvement over, "If you were really genderqueer, you'd be getting a sex-change."

[whuffle]

Would you mind if I put up a pointer in my journal to this poem? There are a bunch of people I know who would really get a lot out of reading/hearing this.

Yes, please!

[ysabetwordsmith]

I would appreciate the signal boost. Please share the link with anyone you think would enjoy this poem.

Also, I love your icon!

[mdlbear]

Oh, nicely done!

I'm irresistibly reminded of Alexander James Adams (the artist formerly known as Heather Alexander). I know several transfolk, but he's the one who's consistently used the changeling story.

I found it fascinating to discover which of Heather's songs had really been written by Alex.

Thank you!

[ysabetwordsmith]

>>Oh, nicely done!<<

I'm glad you like it.

>>I'm irresistibly reminded of Alexander James Adams (the artist formerly known as Heather Alexander). I know several transfolk, but he's the one who's consistently used the changeling story.

I found it fascinating to discover which of Heather's songs had really been written by Alex.<<

Wow. I had not heard this before, and I'm a fan. Tell me more? Is there an online reference or anything like that?

Re: Thank you!

[dameruth]

Here's Alec's webpage:

http://faerietaleminstrel.com/inside/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=65

Yeah, I read the poem and thought for sure you were talking about Heather/Alec . . .

Re: Thank you!

[ysabetwordsmith]

I appreciate the link.

[purpurealuna]

A Lovely poem, I think a new favorite of mine (Next to Doe in Velvet). I know the feelings too well. I hover in the realm of genderqueer, because even if I did transist, it still wouldn't be what I feel like I should be.

Thank you!

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> A Lovely poem, I think a new favorite of mine (Next to Doe in Velvet).<<

I'm happy to hear this. (Yes, I like Lian too.)

>> I know the feelings too well. I hover in the realm of genderqueer, because even if I did transist, it still wouldn't be what I feel like I should be. <<

My sympathies.

Feel free to request more genderqueer characters of whatever flavor. I can't fix the world, but I can certainly do validation, storytelling, and mythmaking.

[ravan]

*sigh* People who've known me for years know I've always had a gender identity problem - I don't "fit" as female - but trying to pass (much less transition) to male would be a huge difficulty. (A G cup bust just doesn't vanish, even if you're fat. I tried making a binder once, and it didn't quite work. To try to buy this stuff costs a fortune, too.)

I know several (now) male transfolk, and often my reaction is more than a little envy. They didn't have the monster boobs to try to make disappear before they could become themselves.

At almost 50, now, there becomes less point to any of it.

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> *sigh* People who've known me for years know I've always had a gender identity problem - I don't "fit" as female - but trying to pass (much less transition) to male would be a huge difficulty.<<

Alas! Indeed, not everyone's shape is conducive to change.

>> (A G cup bust just doesn't vanish, even if you're fat. I tried making a binder once, and it didn't quite work. To try to buy this stuff costs a fortune, too.) ... )

Re: Thoughts

[ravan]

Yeah, the ace bandage attempt was a painful farce. The homemade binder was literally full torso, almost a corset, neck to hip, in denim. I nearly ripped the seams out, and I still had bulges. 44g doesn't hide.

I can wear a bra, just not one of those underwire torture devices. I mostly have to, otherwise I nearly smack myself in the face with them if I move quickly and sweat like a pig beneath them.

Re: Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

If I'm moving a lot, such as on stairs, sometimes I just hold mine in my hands. For some occasions I've used a sport bra, but those usually have such heavy elastic at the bottom that I can't breathe. And hanging that much weight from my shoulders causes my spine to malfunction. So the puppies usually go unharnessed.