After

I took a bath
And gently held my breath
To see where from you came

My caesarian scar
Bore the moment you were taken from me
So suddenly, to release us both from pain

I signed a sheet
At 6am, gas and air 
Still reeling in my bed

I am surprised my signiture
Bore intelligent reading
God knows I was out of my head

Yet the 12 hour labour
Saw a name on paper
Written so clear and true

I had done my best my dear daughter
But in the end, I had to give my consent
For others to bring your life to you

The journey to the theatre
Felt so short 
And yet so long

A crowd of people
Were around us
They even put music on

I cried to them
Is the pain going to stop now
Is that needle our way home

Within seconds
Your journey was interupted
But you were never on your own

I wondered what you must of felt
Travelling on this journey
So sure you would make it through

And suddenly as you get a step further
The whole experience is stopped
And suddenly you have no more to do

Your tiny body is eased out
As you struggle to make sense
Of what is happening and why

You are in the world now
Not the way we planned
And heartbroken, I don't hear you cry

Instead placed in their arms
This tiny face reaches mine
So wide awake and not a tear on display

Your beautiful blue eyes
Seemed to tell me in an instant
Don't worry Mummy, I made it ok....

Copyright © | Year Posted 2009



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Date: 10/4/2009 6:31:00 AM
Amazing poetry, Congrats!! Love LIght Truth Patty
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Date: 10/2/2009 12:28:00 PM
Jo, congratulations on making the first round of the contest...Raul
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Date: 9/25/2009 6:57:00 PM
Jo, I just wanted to drop in and add--Congratulations on making it through the first round in the contest. Good luck in the finals! Karen
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Date: 9/24/2009 12:38:00 PM
Hi Jo! Congratulations on being in the round-one finals! Love, Carolyn
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Date: 9/24/2009 10:54:00 AM
Congratulations on your poem making it through the first round.Wishing you the best in the finals Jo. Love, Carol
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Date: 8/29/2009 9:30:00 AM
This is a wonderful, awesome… poem, worth featuring..; I love every bit of it. You are such a great poet. Please keep writing and congrats on your poem being featured this week. Hope to read more of your wonderful poems. You are great friend! Adeleke
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Date: 8/28/2009 5:06:00 PM
Congratulations on your poetry being featured this week Jo,xx >>James
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Date: 8/25/2009 12:51:00 PM
Thankyou to everyone who commented on my poem 'After' so many to mention but the response I have had to this poem has amazed me, I am sure my little girl will love reading about herself when she is older.. Thankyou to Poetry Soup for featuring my poem, I am still in disbelief, but incredibly honoured and proud that my work stands amongst so many talented and great poets who I count as my friends, Thankyou all so much, love Jo xx
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Date: 8/24/2009 1:17:00 PM
Congratualtions on being featured this week! Wonderful poem! ~Trudy~
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Date: 8/24/2009 8:17:00 AM
well done! I enjoyed this. Contrats on being featured!
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Date: 8/24/2009 8:03:00 AM
Jo,...congratulations on this poetry being featured this week,..well deserved !!! james
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Date: 8/24/2009 3:57:00 AM
Congratulations on your poetry being featured this week Jo. Love, Carol
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Date: 8/23/2009 5:53:00 PM
Mothers everywhere will relate to this one. Love the last stanza. Congratulations on being featured this week. I wish you ongoing success with your writing. Karen
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Date: 8/23/2009 5:17:00 PM
wonderful poem. i remember when my children were born and now my oldest is driving and soon to celebrate her sweet 16 birthday. children are a true blessing from above. keep writing and congrats on your featured poem
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Date: 4/7/2009 12:38:00 PM
WOW!!!!! i never had a baby before. as sleepy as i was you woke me up. i felt your purest love in the lines of this piece. and the last line almost tore me to pieces. you get an A+. John Henry Loving III
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Date: 4/7/2009 6:24:00 AM
Excellent poem Jo, this one truly comes from the heart.
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Date: 4/6/2009 11:26:00 PM
wow,my friends just had a baby girl and as you describesd so well,the journey leads to a miracle indeed-a new born-great
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Date: 4/6/2009 8:36:00 PM
experience that you shared with us, childbirth is something you will never forget...It was for me the proudest moment and the most scariest moment of my life..But I thank God for my daughter, she is everything to me.. You revealed your most precious and private moments here so vividly..I could see it, I could feel it...Just beautiful!! God Bless Always, Tyesha
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Date: 4/6/2009 8:34:00 PM
Oh my this is so beautiful, I had tears in my eyes,I remember how my baby girl was brought into this world..No c-section for me but 33 hours of never ending labor..When she finally came out, she didn't cry, she started turning blue and they took her from me and I remember just looking at my mom and wondering why...My mom just began praying and it seemed like time went on forever them working on her until I heard that cry, then I began to cry cause I knew she was okay. This was truly a beautiful
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Date: 4/6/2009 11:51:00 AM
wow what a beautiful experience. thank you
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Date: 4/6/2009 8:03:00 AM
Oh gosh, I have such goosebumps. How precious and beautiful. I had c-sections too and this brought back such memories. Congratulations, warmest wishes and many blessings to you and your family. Love, Shar
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Date: 4/5/2009 5:55:00 PM
This is a loving and sweet dedication, Jo. I believe congratulations are in order!
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Date: 4/5/2009 2:21:00 PM
What a treasured work of letters, what a brilliant investigation of maternal humanity, what a seductive telling of some biographic truth ... I applaud ... applaud... applaud ... one for poetry, one for you, and one for Dylan Thomas who you so easily may be compared with. Love and blessings, my genius friend
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Hayton Avatar
Jo Hayton
Date: 6/29/2022 3:18:00 PM
I have just re read this comment some years now later, and wow to be compared to Dylan Thomas. I am writing again in full swing and thankful to be back on poetry soup with all my friends. xx
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