For Sharon Olds, And For You

(a woman’s response to “Outside The Operating Room Of The Sex-Change Doctor”)

You all want to know
what happened to the cage
when the beast ripped free.

Well
I’ll tell you: there was

no cage, no freak
show tent tugged down
for you to see.

& peeking up
some stranger’s skirt you found
only your own
fooled face repeating itself
endlessly.

Listen to me. I’m trying
to tell you: there was

no cage & what you thought
was a monster

was me, aloft
on glimmering wings
soaring away
in the clear light of day

where you refused to see

- Rachel K. Zall