Holly Walrath
Formed by the fusing of sacral vertebrae, the sacrum is a large, triangular bone at the base of the spine. It is situated between the two hard wings of the pelvis. Curved upon itself, the base of the sacrum careens forward. Before the adoption of the word sacrum, the bone was called holy in Greek, “hieron osteon” and was used for animal sacrifice. In females of the species, the sacrum is shorter and wider. Researchers comment on how this is more valuable to childbearing. Because even our bones are made for what men want. Because as hard as we try to be sacred, they can always use us for sacrifice. In Greek, “hieron” also meant “temple.” Within its bony concavity hides the ovaries and uterus, the sacred organs of procreation. Thanks to its great size, the sacrum is usually the last bone of a buried body to rot.
Author Bio
Holly Lyn Walrath’s poetry and short fiction has appeared in Strange Horizons, Fireside Fiction, Daily Science Fiction, Analog, Liminality, and elsewhere. She is the author of the Elgin Award-winning chapbook Glimmerglass Girl (Finishing Line Press, 2018) and the chapbook in Italian Numinose Lapidi (Kipple Press 2020). She holds a B.A. in English from The University of Texas and a Master’s in Creative Writing from the University of Denver. Find her online at www.hlwalrath.com or on Twitter @HollyLynWalrath.