The Grief Project: Poems by Gina

Introduction to The Grief Project

I decided to create The Grief Project back in June 2021. I wanted to create a space for people with Lichen Sclerosus to openly write about and share their experiences with grief.

This is a topic we do not hear much about, but it is something that touches almost everyone with Lichen Sclerosus in some capacity or another. I wanted this to be a part of The Lost Labia Chronicles, but make it a separate project to truly give space to others to share their stories.

I opened up a call on my social media and to the folks in the LS Warriors membership to share their experiences with grief and contribute to this collection of voices. If you want to contribute to the project, please reach out to me (my contact information is at the end of this).

Introducing Gina

Without further ado, let me introduce you to Gina. Gina is a fellow LS Warrior whom I had the pleasure of meeting (virtually) over a year ago at one of the Lichen Sclerosus Support Virtual Meetups. Her warmth radiated through the screen. She was such a beacon of light in uplifting others on the call and has always been incredibly honest and transparent about her lichen sclerosus journey.

When she reached out to me to add her poetry to The Grief Project, I was overjoyed. When I read her words, my eyes filled with tears. I was deeply moved by her poetry; I felt her words in my body and soul. Gina has such an incredible talent for conveying complex experiences such as grief with LS through poetry.

Without further ado, here are her poems.

These Are the Things We Don’t Talk About

After Caitlin Conlon

the silence of our mothers / the ignorance of our fathers / what we’ll pass to 

our sons / our daughters / the cramping / the itching / the bleeding / the ache 

of being both butterfly and cocoon / how we don't want to bitch / how we 

don't want to whine / how we don't want to make others uncomfortable 

with our discomfort / our womanhood hidden up sleeves / our lips stitched 

with shame / the appointments / the tests / the procedures / the very things 

that make up our days / how we stack it all on our hip bones / how the weight 

sinks our heels / how we walk despite / how we give despite / how we love 

despite / how everything is in spite of / being woman / women / carrying pain

Gina | @LaLuzPoetry

Before the Diagnosis

That pain was the hardest.

The unspeakable, intolerable burning of flesh.

Paper cuts. Stabbing. Bruising.

Burning. Itching.

A choking pain with shallow breaths

and clenched fists.

A never-ending torture.

My womanhood at the mercy

of an incurable condition.

My suffering on no one’s mind.

My healing on no one’s lips.

A consuming weight

to bear without breaking.

An immeasurable grief.

Gina | @LaLuzPoetry

You Are Here

There will be more

sunny days

if you can’t enjoy this one.

Days where the sun

will hold your face 

in its hands

and the breeze will

sing your name.

But today is a day 

for shut eyes

and drawn curtains.

And pain that consumes

the space between 

heart beats.

This is love, enduring.

Holding space. 

Bearing time.

No breath beneath the covers

is wasted.

More precious than light

slipping through leaves,

you are here.

Gina | @LaLuzPoetry

Closing Words on Grief

Wow! I am in awe of the talent from the LS community.

I'm so grateful to Gina for contributing these beautiful pieces to The Grief Project.

Be sure to follow Gina on Instagram @LaLuzPoetry and leave her a comment below!

Want to Read More From The Grief Project? Click Below To Read More!

Honor and witness the voices and experiences of others on their lichen sclerosus journeys. Through the power of art – in this case, writing/storytelling – we can soften a place within us that opens up to healing.

Want to contribute to The Grief Project?

You can contribute in a number of ways such as:

-Writing your own piece and choosing your own images.

-Write your own piece but have me choose the images.

-Do a virtual interview with me and I write out the interview and you choose pictures you’d like.

-Doing a virtual interview with me and I would write out the interview and I’d choose the pictures.

-Submit a poem or collection of poems.

-Submit a song/musical piece.

-Create a piece of artwork (paintings, drawings, etc.).

If you would like to contribute, please reach out to me via one of the options below.

Reach out to Me

Whether you want to contribute to The Grief Project or you want to chat with me personally, you can contact me in the following ways:

Instagram: @thelostlabiachronicles

Facebook: @TheLostLabiaChronicles

Email: lostlabiachronicles@gmail.com