Mummy

A poem inspired by my mother's strength.

Mummy

She lies beside me 

on the stretcher bed and 

I take 

a deep breath 

and slit the silence.

Was it hard?

She smiles her round 

tired smile and says it was.

Two years of silence 

and her cold tears have dried and creased her face

and she looks away.

Will you cry?

She does not cry and I know

she sees the metal staples

slashing his stomach

slashing our evening walks 

around the block

and farewelling our Sunday morning sudoku competitions.

But still she turns and says she has learned

the human spirit 

is stronger than metal.

She lists

rent

work

ICU

cooking

you

us

and I wish my little hand

had taken hers

and that her tears had not turned 

into stone

and died 

inside her.

Author's Note

My first attempt at writing a poem.