ON BECOMING A MOTHER

When I was pregnant, I happened upon a beautiful book entitled Welcome to the World compiled by Nikki Siegen-Smith. It is a unique anthology of poems and photographs pertaining to pregnancy and childbirth from cultures all over the world. The following poem is by Penelope Shuttle (England) and is one of my favorites in the book:

The Conceiving

Now
you are in the ark of my blood
in the river of my bones
in the woodland of my muscles
in the ligaments of my hair
in the wit of my hands
in the smear of my shadow
in the armada of my brain
under the stars of my skull
in the arms of my womb
Now you are here
you worker in the gold of flesh

- Penelope Shuttle