The Long Wail
It's okay to cry now,
it's alright, because your baby is dead
You said you didn't mean to smother the child;
and the first baby, you said you accidently dropped on it's head
That's twice you've been clumsy with life
Yes, I believe you
because your tears are salty sincere
No, I don't believe you're a monster,
heredity just skipped over you when it passed out the maternal gene
Your life's been hell
since those two infants died
At night, you let out a long wail ---
your promise of being a mother is again denied
You had motherly dreams
of teaching them how to walk, how to talk
You had motherly desires
of watching your children grow like flowers,
and blossom into a better you
But you smothered one with careless love,
and in a momentary fit of frustration ... not hate ... you shook the baby,
and the tyke fell loose
All because the baby wouldn't stop crying,
but everyone one knows that's what babies do
It's okay to cry now,
it's alright, because your babies are dead
I guess I would be scared too,
if I thought I was cursed and going to hell
I think I would cry every night also,
having tortured dreams would make me scream a long wail
Copyright © Freddie Robinson Jr. | Year Posted 2016
Post Comments
Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.
Please
Login
to post a comment