Literary Pixie Press

By Martin Hickel

anyone who has ever potty trained a child 
knows how hard it is knowing when to ask 
do you need to go -- or know how hard 
it will be for the child to see how they 
must not simply do what other animals do 
what comes naturally & relieve themselves 
when & wherever they feel like it -- but 
it was not medicine nor science nor luck 
that allowed early settlements to grow 
into massive thriving hives of humanity 
plumbing piping excrement downstream 
away from fresh water supplies put 
an end to mass die offs from diseases 
like cholera & dysentery yet the freedom 
of defecation at will & privilege to eat 
what you want wherever hunger happens 
the power to force those who you own 
holding their noses to wipe your ass 
& change your diaper -- wait on you 
literally hand & foot just feels right 
so even if pipes were put in the ground 
carried away shit your private property 
creates you might still rather see me die
than give up your infant ease with which 
greed lets you poop & pee in the streets

This piece is from The Feminist Toilet #1. To go back and read more, click here.