Stillborn

Stillborn Still dead Still arms, legs, And a head Still eyes open Spoken Still ripped from utero Still time to go A dream instead From cells molded Knees folded Named like me Who was she? And the word stillborn Dreams torn Word so bleak From eyes Tears leak In coffins buried Procession not hurried For two lives gone Having never seen dawn Developed with them Born with them Then why me? Why was I Determined to be? To exist and they don’t To feel and they won’t I’ve made memories alone Without them, on my own Existed into adulthood Stood on ground - But oh the sound I cannot imagine it My mother screaming Her voice turned grit As the doctors and nurses Worked as it worsens As it was clear breath Breath was none It was clear they had Only a son. There lives live With each word I give To this paper Their memory; their lives Will not taper