Tag: poverty

Birthmark

Shunned for her sin
a young figure
rubs her swelling belly
compulsion driven by fear

Tremors from within
stunt her movement
uncertainty paralyzing
her words…

She is unwed,
repulsive to a society
reeking with ineptitude –
righteousness negating action

Unsuspecting, the baby arrives
emits a scratchy cry –
filling her lungs with hope
and anticipation, trusting

Does not know
in her stark nakedness
that her tragedy is set,
life will not embrace and provide

Poverty has marked her
for a life of hardship –
the pious turn their backs
she is, after all, born of sin.

(Image my own)

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Re-Settling

Front porch –
a balcony view –
retirement’s play.

Novel – this place –
silence stretches,
pauses briefly –

a car creeps by,
or a dog barks –
my heart beats…

inside – commotion –
pounding hammers,
swoosh of legs in motion –

not mine – body bankrupt –
mind impoverished –
no – not that – just struggling.

empty boxes pile up,
others – contents lingering,
unresolved – call my name,

but the front porch
makes promises –
there is time…

(I am a day late for dVerse, but intrigued by the challenge, decided to join in anyway.  Today’s prompts are: commotion (Fandango), novel (Ragtag Community), poverty (Daily Addictions). Photo is front porch view – our first sunset.)

 

Cycle of Life

Helpless and alone,
a young figure unconsciously
rubs her swelling belly,
hopelessly feeling the tremor within her begin.

Shunned for her sin,
impoverished of mind and body,
she falters, unable to speak
paralyzed with uncertainty for a future already tainted.

Society turns its back,
on the plight of the unwed mother,
revulsed by all she represents,
paralyzed by their own ineptitude in the face of inequity.

Uninhibited the baby arrives,
announcing her birth with a scratchy cry,
filling her lungs with hope and anticipation,
trusting that life will embrace and provide.

She does not know,
in her stark nakedness,
that she is born into tragedy –
fated for a life of hardship and misunderstandings.