Margaret Atwood - The Handmaid's Tale Excerpt Pg. 61 (Group: We kinda like Flo) lyrics

"I almost gasp: he's said
A forbidden word sterile
There is no such thing as a sterile
Man anymore
Not officially there are only women who
Are fruitful and women who are barren
That's the law 'Lots of women do it, ' he
Goes on 'You want a baby, don't you?'
'Yes, ' I say it's true, and I don't
Ask why, because I know give me children
Or else I die there's more
Than one meaning to it
'You're soft, ' he says 'It's time
Today or tomorrow would do it, why waste it?
It'd only take a minute, honey' What he
Called his wife, once maybe still does
But really it's a generic term
We are all honey
I hesitate he's offering himself
To me, his services, at some risk to himself
'I hate to see what they put you
Through, ' he murmurs it's genuine
Genuine sympathy and yet he's
Enjoying thing
Sympathy and all his eyes are moist
With compassion, his hand is moving on me
Nervously and with impatience
'It's too dangerous
' I say 'No i can't' The penalty
Is death but they have to
Catch you in the act, with two witnesses what
Are the odds, is the room bugged
Who's waiting just outside the door?
His hand stops 'Think about it
' he says 'I've seen your
Chart you don't have a lot of time left but
It's your life'
'Thank you, ' I say i must leave
The impression that I'm not offended
That I'm open to suggestion he takes
His hand away, lazily almost lingeringly
This is not the last word as far
As he's concerned he could fake
The tests, report me for
Cancer, for infertility
Have me shipped off to the Colonies
With the Unwomen none of this has been said
But the knowledge of his power hangs
Nevertheless in the air as he pats my thigh
Withdraws himself behind the hanging sheet
'Next month, ' he says
I put on my clothes again
Behind the screen my hands
Are shaking why am I frightened?
I've crossed no boundaries
I've given no trust, taken no risk
All is safe
It's the choice that terrifies me a way out
A salvation" (61)