Annette R. Crymes
As I sat on the edge of natural menopause and all of its impending implications and complexities: the cessation of menstrual flow, the inability to naturally conceive, as well as the emotional and physical changes my body was experiencing, the poet in me surfaced and penned Fading Flower, chronicling my journey into “the change.” Years later, I added pearls, glass beads and buttons in an attempt to visually express my view of this junket. I first showed Fading Flower as part of the Women in the Arts 2005 exhibit in St. Louis, then at the Poets Society Convention in Las Vegas and again as a part of Women’s History Month in South Africa and St. Louis. I have since added African garnets to the piece to symbolize my agony with endometriosis. I contemplate adding other artistic expressions to Fading Flower as they present themselves to my psyche.

I first encountered Jennifer and her Menstruation Series at the Venus Envy 2007 art exhibit. Intrigued and fascinated by the honesty of the monoprints and the artist, I thought of my own poetic visual art piece (imagery of the menstrual cycle as a female facing the woes of menopause) whose idea morphed from the experience of being put into medical menopause due to complications of endometriosis and then again with age. The thought of confronting actual menstrual blood as art was initially disturbing, but then, after much reflection of what I had gone through from the onset my period to the very moment of my last menstrual flow, I felt compelled to explore my own discomfort and interest with the social taboo topic and wrote a reaction essay, The “outing” of Life Blood, presenting the paper as part of a Women Gender Studies project.

In ancient times, women and menstrual blood were revered as sacred; women in menopause were considered wise and honored for their wisdom. However, misunderstanding of the female anatomy and fear of feminine powers, combined with the evolution of patriarchal societies dictated that menstrual blood and the reverence afforded older women (feminine mystique of the unexplained organic flow and cessation of menstruation) become taboo.

The natural phenomenon of menstrual bleeding, which is a necessary part of the reproduction process, morphed into something dirty, unclean, evil and dangerous. Menstrual blood became a curse, a cause for shame and oppression in the psyche of young girls and women. Old women became outcasts, labeled as crones, hags, and witches.

I ask, how would it feel to once again view menstrual blood as a Holy, sacred and a precious gift? Would menopause be an easier trek if aging were not seen as something to dread? Do we dare to once again embrace and venerate the wisdom dwelling within the halls of menopausal women? Could it be another link in the healing process, by accepting ourselves as celebrated beings and so once again be honored…Do we women, young and old, dare take this step, inviting our men, young and old to come along with us on the quest of understanding and acceptance of the mystery of menstrual blood and quite possibly find that the sought after Holy Grail and its contents dwell within each and every menstruating female? I believe the Life Blood Exhibit will be an important step in helping our society to gain a better understanding of the very blood, which is needed for the continuation of humanity, as we know it.

// Back //