Need so great
Trust not earned – by necessity given
Special birth tea drunk
Prayers are said
Low bed – newly arrived
Medical care here not concerned
with religion or cultural practice
Sorry, hands are tied
Honored women let me ease your struggle
Hours of work
Sweat, blood, tears
Life is being born
Mothers faced turned from baby
Different tears shed now
A girl child:
Grief – I know that tear
Don’t touch him you are not clean
Kind look and word of gratitude
But still, sorrow
After all you helped to bring forth a girl child
I entered the barn
In the darkness of night
Intoxicating smells of life
The plaintive bleating of a mother in pain
Trusting doe eyes flick toward me
Struggling to understand
Twisting, pulling, efforts vain
No progress made
Muscles ache, back sore
Mind busy, body still
Racking, reaching for answers
A thought whispers
Head connected to neck
Neck connected to chest
Chest connected to leg
Leg connected to hoof
But thought arrives late
Last struggled breath: life over
The dark tongue falls: at peace
But still for the mother I try
Follow the head, the limp lifeless head
Feel the neck
Not connected to this leg
Urgency enlivens my hands
Push, push the head back
Reach deep, struggle long
Rearrange, manipulate
Delivered: a son to a mother
Again, reach deep, pull firmly
Rearrange, manipulate
Delivered: one lifeless
Kissed, enwrapped with love
Sweet doe lovingly nuzzled
Gently feeding
Swaddled young one
Dried and well
The peaceful sounds of a mother at rest
Reaches out and touches me
I creep out in the stillness
I leave into the night
