Lovingly
massaging unscented oil into baby’s velvet skin
Kneading,
ironing out soft wrinkles
She
felt dream-like,
as if she were caressing herself-
hypnotised
with love
paralysed
with fear
this
angelic babe
sweating
slightly,
heavy
limbed was
totally
dependent on her.
An
hour had passed,
sweet
baby scent perfumed the air
her
tears mingled with oil
she
had no idea who
gave
who more
comfort.
***
The
corset hugged her baby-bump
She
was almost hour-glass again
the
uniform black pinstripe
white
shirt, red gloss,
hair
or nails ~ but not both
lent
her insane confidence.
An
hour had passed,
the
meeting in
the airless room
had over run.
Through
polished glass
she spotted a group of mothers
casual,
laughing, free;
her
breasts tingled with milk
for
her baby
at
home.
Copyright Suzy R 2012
The debate rolls on about working mothers, or stay at home mothers: what's best for baby, what's best for mum or indeed the whole family. My view is it's rarely that cut and dried; the reasons to work or not are purely personal and are influenced by an alarming array of factors.
So, this poem is really saying there is pain, depression, guilt on both sides of the fence. Sometimes, what feels like the absolute best decision today, can feel like an anchor round your neck, the next. Women, be kind to each other ~ being a mother is at once the most challenging yet rewarding blessings known to 'man'!
def feel the connection in your words between mother and child and the encouragement that can pass between the two...and i know it is hard having to go to work...
ReplyDeletei am intrigued on which pic you used from dverse for this....
How very right you are. It's especially bad when women pit themselves against other women...no need for that.
ReplyDeleteFull of emotion and the texture of the binding , heart ,breasts , home the whole debate has a lot of answers here
ReplyDeleteThank you all for your comments: motherhood is so powerful and creative, it's saddens me that is can become a political battleground, perhaps it is this very power why is has become so.
ReplyDelete