~~
Curled like some fossilised
creature trapped in perpetual darkness
it suddenly moves as if prodded by an invisible finger;
it turns and stretches then settles back
into its apparent oblivion.
It seems unaware yet it hears,
it feels, and senses flashes of differing hues.
Often it feels pain,
its silent screams go unheard
Yet its restlessness is felt as
it lashes out in torment.
Mostly though it's content
in its sac, cosy with the lullaby,
lub dub, lub dub, lub dub;
the slushing and swishing of blood
through arterial byways.
Waiting, growing,
gathering strength for the trauma of birth.
This one though is denied the wait,
the time to grow,
the time to know who it will be;
this one is unwanted,
it's sucked out and flushed away;
the suckers and the flushers never thinking
of the agony caused as they suck and flush…
It's not supposed to feel pain, to sense,
it's a nothing.
Comments
artisus | February 6, 2009 - 16:39
It's everything. The Hippocratic oath:
I will not give a lethal drug to anyone if I am asked, nor will I advise such a plan; and similarly I will not give a woman a pessary* to cause an abortion.
But I will preserve the purity of my life and my arts.
*Historically, pessaries may have been used to perform abortions, as demonstrated in the original text of the Hippocratic Oath.
from wiki.
Good poem, and I agree with you Val.
jennifer | February 6, 2009 - 23:05
Better an abortion than an unwanted, unloved child.
Thought provoking. I think the effect you are going for is achieved with the alteration in lexis from ever so poetical to harsh and repetitive.
Good stuff!
J x
threeleafshamrock | February 8, 2009 - 11:22
Can't agree Jen! There are a lot of people out there who want (and would love) a child. I think that is an argument - or excuse - that is put forward to sanitize, what is, in effect, the taking of a life. Women face some horrifying choices in this regard and I can't or won't sit in judgement (that is someone else's job). If you marry someone and later find it's a mistake; you divorce/leave them and at least both parties have a chance to find love. You DON'T shoot them! Everyone is entitled to their view; this is just mine!
Loved the poem; thought it brave and decisive and totally agree with the sentiments expressed.
Chris
artisus | February 8, 2009 - 18:23
Better an ADOPTION than an unwanted, unloved child.