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February 02, 2008
Third Annual Bloggers (Silent) Poetry Reading
The first year I posted a poem about infertility. This year things are different.
First Birth
I had thought so little, really, of her,
inside me, all the time, not breathing--
intelligent, maybe curious,
her eyes closed. When the vagina opened,
slowly, from within, from the top, my eyes
rounded in shock and awe, it was like being
entered for the first time, but entered
from the inside, the child coming in
from the other world. Enormous, stately,
she was pressed through the channel, she turned, and rose,
they held her up by a very small ankle,
she dangled indigo and scarlet, and spread
her arms out in this world. Each thing
I did, then, I did for the first
time, touched the flesh of our flesh,
brought the tiny mouth to my breast,
she drew the avalanche of milk
down off the mountain, I felt as if
I was nothing, no one, I was everything to her, I was hers.
Sharon Olds. The Wellspring, 1996
For more information about the Bloggers (Silent) Poetry Reading, celebrated each year on February 2, go here.
Posted by Cara at February 2, 2008 09:21 AM
Topics: Life
~ blogging stuff
Comments
That's beautiful.
Thanks for sharing it.
Posted by: Nancy at February 2, 2008 11:13 AM
That was beautiful. Thank you for sharing!
I hope you have a beautiful birth, Cara. It's such an amazing and transformative experience.
Posted by: Jess at February 2, 2008 12:14 PM
OK, I can't remember now if you said you were going to be surprised or not (raging headache vearing on migraine that I am trying to ignore) but, is there a reason that "her" is italicized?
Did you all find out? Should we be looking through our stash for pinks????
Either way, I am so happy for you and am praying for a wonderful childbirth experience.
Yeah, yeah, yeah!
Posted by: knittingnurse at February 2, 2008 12:19 PM
A precious poem...would be lovely placed with a photo of, perhaps, G's hand, your hand and baby's hand in the circle of love.
Posted by: Nancy J at February 2, 2008 12:33 PM
So very lovely - and indeed, such a different place than that first year!
Posted by: Chris at February 2, 2008 12:50 PM
Beautiful.
Posted by: Julia at February 2, 2008 01:44 PM
Well, that is exactly right.
Posted by: Kay at February 2, 2008 05:41 PM
Happy Groundhog Day! My fiber arrived and I love it!
Posted by: Sarah at February 2, 2008 06:20 PM
So beautiful, and so true. My daughter of 12 years still amazes me every day, and always, it seems like love created anew. Truly, I am hers as much as she is mine. I hope that is so for you and your baby as well.
Posted by: Sue at February 2, 2008 07:18 PM
Thanks for reminding me of the date. Funny how time changes the poem's resonance!
Posted by: gale (she shoots sheep shots) at February 2, 2008 08:43 PM
What a beautiful poem.
Posted by: theLady at February 2, 2008 09:52 PM
That is lovely. And yes, it would be helpful if you know to let me know. ;)
Posted by: Teresa C at February 3, 2008 01:18 PM
So sweet Cara. Brought a tear to my eye...
Not-long-to-wait-now-even-if-it-seems-forever-blessings!
Posted by: Susan Pandorf at February 4, 2008 12:07 PM
well, this made me cry. I struggled to have a baby for years....then I did. This poem is new to me, and one I will come back to. Thank you. And thank you for participating in this fine web of poetry we've spun.
Posted by: deborah oak at February 4, 2008 01:55 PM