Under The Red Tent

A Poem by Marie Harrison

A birth poem

Under The Red Tent

The seasoned

Midwife’s pinnacle

Moment had come

She took her place on

The birthing bricks

Under the red tent

After years of waiting

Rachel’s passage into

Motherhood was finally here

Death’s ominous black shadow

Was present in the tent

Would he turn

To greet her

Or turn his back

to walk away?

Two of her loving mothers

Zilpah and Bilhah

Kneeled to her left

And to her right

To provide solid support

For Rachel's balance

So that she could securely

Stand on top of the bricks

While bearing her full

Weight on them

As a loving mother

Leah sat in front of Rachel

To coach her

And to help guide her

Baby from her belly

Through her womb

So Leah could catch

The infant when it dropped

From its birth canal

Rachel's contractions

Were getting closer and closer

All of her mothers

Were cooing and

Praising Rachel in

Between her contractions

The Bondswoman continued

Wiping Rachel's sweaty brow and

Offering bread soaked in sweet wine

To help strengthen Rachel

While Leah applied

Soothing oils of mint

To ease in the

Birthing process

Hours of contractions

Had passed but no birth yet

Poor Rachel was exhausted

Leah paused to carefully reach inside

Checking the position

Of the baby

Broad shoulders of the baby

Hampered its exit

But Rachel’s contractions kept

Coming more and more frequently

As Rachel’s pain intensified

She shrieked

Sharp cries that

Shook the earth

Forcing grown men

To shudder and tremble

As they restlessly

Waited nearby

“I need the knife!”

Leah requested

After she

Placed a cloth of

Fresh wool into

Rachel’s mouth

For her to bear down on

For her pain

As she bravely

Stood on her

Birthing bricks

Her flesh was cut

On both sides

Of her birth opening

For an easy passageway

For the baby

Screaming

Into the wool and

Exhaling Rachel

Made her final

Big push

With a great sense of relief

Rachel cried as her baby

Fell like ripe, plump fruit

From her womb

Into the bloody but open

Arms of Leah

Rachel’s own

Birth mother

In the next few weeks

With plenty of sleep

Fresh herbs

Warm ox broth

And much healing

Rachel 's health

Would soon be restored

When Baby Joseph

Was born that day

Joy consumed

The blessed tribe

Life was fresh

And renewed

Under the red tent of Jacob

© 2011 Marie Harrison

Author's Note

I've been reading the book The Red Tent by Anita Diamante. I was surprised while reading their technique of birthing back then. I wanted to share my vision of their moment.

My Review

Would you like to review this Poem?
Login | Register

Reviews

Warren L.G De Mills

Nice story! good imagery! and good use of literary devices. I must say that I enjoyed this piece but i just felt like it was going on and on because its in a poem form when its a story ,or idk if you're trying to mix them but yeah, it felt longer than it is, significantly.