Genesis

"Genesis" was a finalist in Temple's Short Fiction Contest, 2019.

And on the 8th day
God said let there be transboy
Let there be man forced to spill his blood in cycles
Whose body is governed by tide
Let him walk the shadow and valley of womanhood
And find only death
Let him be the first Lamb on my altar
Let the parts of his body he severs be an offering
To the Most High
Let him be his own Lord
His own Savior
Because after all, he created Himself

And on the 8th day
I was finally able to take a shower
To be alone with my body long enough to wash it
The week's scent rinsed from my shoulders
The t-shirt I wore clung to my breasts
I cowered before them
Meek in my own body
Thought this is what it means to fear God
What son of Christ can't bear the sight of his own temple
What infidel thinks himself Holy enough to forfeit his flesh and bone
To mar that which was forged by the Creator
Who am I to stand in a shrine and feel revulsion
Feel that there are no gods left for me in my own body
Sometimes when made sick by the sight of myself
I feel guilty,
For God gave me something and it wasn't enough
Sometimes I wonder how I have the audacity to build my own altar
To create myself in my own Image
Face deity within myself and know
that he deserves more than just afterlife in his own body
I deserve more than just an afterlife in my own body
And I will build it
Even if that means severing my breasts
Sometimes a body has to die in order to know salvation
Sometimes sons of god need second comings to come out right
Call my transition a miracle
Call the parts of my body I'll sever an offering
To the Most High
Call me my own Lord
My own Savior
Because I created myself

And on the 8th day
God saw that the transboy was good
And She smiled

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