Your heart,

that bleebing blip

 

I watched

in red

 

womb wall,

 

your heart

is broken.

 

A life

finely played

 

on stage

of love,

 

your heart

that flipped

 

& flew away

landed

 

on the sleeve

of some

 

tall stranger.

 

Your heart,

that once

 

was locked

in mine

 

is beating

out of time

 

I, mother

to all beasts

 

carer of

the weak

 

can’t reach out

across the sea

 

hold you

in your sleep

 

& fix this.

 

I struggled

to be strong

 

I shouted

to be heard

 

I birthed you

in a world

 

where your voice

could grow

 

& your life

would be more

 

than mine:

 

bright & safe

& open.

 

How is it

that we’re

 

here?

 

After forty

years

 

a mother

& her child

 

starving

in a world

 

opulent

with choices.