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Water-birth

by Bishti 

Posted: 12 August 2008
Word Count: 137


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Water-birth

Your crown burns like fire as you pass
From womb to warm water
Without a gasp
Submerged, head first
Eyes hidden,
Your fine hair sways like sea-grass
And the soft helix of your ear is born
Naked on my thigh.

All is still
And time is measured in a breathless pause
Generations seem to pass
Waiting for your shoulders to rotate,
Until
With pouting grimace
Your profile glides to view.
You are familiar, I know you.

A wave of agonising joy and you surge forth
Ejected and expelled
At once alone
Separate
Launched into life, at last
I lift you slowly and
Your head emerges
From the balmy water.

You take a breath, your first,
And murmur sweetly,
I breathe you in
Gaze into the dark universe of your eyes
And hold you to my breast.









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Comments by other Members



V`yonne at 17:16 on 18 August 2008  Report this post
This is a good poem. Anyone who knows me will tell you that that is a great compliment because I usually don't get past the first line of anything to do with babies and childbirth. But a good poem is a good poem - and this is one.

Florence at 11:24 on 20 August 2008  Report this post
I think gets past the usual sentimentality of poems to do with children and birth by being quite graphic in its imagery. By combining this with quiet statements of emotion that are linked to a beautiful description of giving birth, it manages to be moving without being mushy. I really liked it.
F

Bishti at 21:53 on 07 September 2008  Report this post
Thank you for your comments

cust at 14:32 on 10 April 2009  Report this post
I think you and I are going to get on! I had a water birth like this, felt like this, feel like this, like to write about such things!!! I love this because it's real and raw and about the primal nature of birth, it's everyday-ness and extraordinary-ness (sorry, those are clumsy words, but UKWIM!). You know in some parts of Africa women give birth in the sanctum of a large hollow tree....and I bet you can relate to that.

Lucy (cust)


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