avatarY.L. Wolfe

Summary

The website content is a poetic exploration of female sexual liberation, equating the experience with the primal act of devouring food.

Abstract

The poem "We Will Devour" is a celebration of the sexually liberated woman, using vivid imagery of hunger, temptation, and consumption to convey the intensity of sexual desire and fulfillment. It describes the journey from the pangs of denied desire, through temptation and indulgence, to the profound satisfaction that comes with embracing one's sexuality. The author draws a parallel between the physical act of eating and the emotional release of sexual satisfaction, emphasizing the transformative power of embracing one's desires without shame or restraint. The piece concludes with a defiant stance against the societal expectations of female modesty, advocating for continuous pursuit and fulfillment of desires. The article is part of Yael Wolfe's weekly column "Howl" and is inspired by the poetic expression of Amanda Gorman.

Opinions

  • The author suggests that societal norms have historically stifled women's sexual expression, akin to being starved of their true desires.
  • There is a critique of the societal pressure on women to maintain control and discernment, which the author equates to a form of self-imposed starvation.
  • The poem conveys the idea that true satiety comes from embracing and indulging in one's desires, leading to a deeper connection with oneself and the world.
  • The author believes that the experience of sexual liberation is akin to a spiritual awakening, bringing clarity and a sense of fullness that was previously denied.
  • There is an acknowledgment of the continuous nature of desire, rejecting the notion that one instance of fulfillment is enough to sustain the appetite for freedom and expression.
  • The piece echoes a call to action for women to persistently seek their own empowerment and to not settle for less than what truly fulfills them.

Howl

We Will Devour

A poem to celebrate the sexually liberated woman

Photo by Jorge Fakhouri Filho from Pexels

Famine

We have stood in these halls So many times, Our mouths watering, Juicy, succulent meats denied us…

Or sometimes, god help us, declined - Too afraid of what our own satiety Might inspire.

How we have hungered.

Temptation

They say, “Control yourself.” “Be discerning.” “Don’t indulge.” “Remain sharp.”

But starvation renders you helpless Or mad And one cannot help but reach for just one bite…

Engorgement

The rapture of sweet on the tongue. The ecstasy of soft on the teeth. The delightful surge of saliva. The surrender of swallow.

We feel it all the way down, Into the core of our womanhood, Thrumming and swelling and overcoming.

Satiety

The release is immense, To fill this space that was empty for so long. The tears come flowing, Even in this rapture.

There is such a fullness inside, A heaviness in the crescent moon of the hip girdle, Tugging and rooting us into the earth.

Digestion

The world seems different When we are not consumed with the ache of our own hunger. There is no distraction. Even the air we breathe is crystalline, gleaming with the nutrients of awareness.

We know that you hid this from us. Prevented our experience of this knowing. This fullness.

Rumbling

It doesn’t take long to feel the familiar pangs of hunger again. Did you think one meal was enough to sustain us? Or that we would go back to trading emancipation for emaciation? No — we want more and more and more.

We will salivate and twist with our desire. We will lick our lips and rub our bellies. We will sink our teeth in…and devour.

Author’s note: I have been inspired to express myself through poetry this week, thanks to the brilliant future President of the United States, Ms. Amanda Gorman. Though this isn’t even half as powerful as her work, I hope it can ring out as a soft echo to her own words, and encourage the inauguration of the women of America coming into their power.

This article was written for Howl by Yael Wolfe, a weekly column. © Yael Wolfe 2021

More hunger from Howl by Yael Wolfe:

Howl By Yael Wolfe
Poetry
Sexuality
Feminism
Desire
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