Midlife Birthing

My mother says my birth was quick! Forty-five minutes after she got to the hospital i arrived. She had been out on a boat that day bobbing and bouncing on the St. Lawrence River in Ontario.  I like to think the waters rocked and rolled me into the perfect position to make my way into this world.  This birthing at midlife however is a different experience!

Years ago i wrote this poem, 

I long for an epidural for the

 pain of this midlife birthing,

 or perhaps

 a C-Section to speed things along

 take this burgeoning life inside me,

 lay him out on the table

 tidy  her up, 

cut the umbilical cords

 set them free

 

 Instead, a long pregnancy

 of sorts

 lingers,

 I wonder if I am overdue

 

With no fetal monitor

 I question if the

 small and precious bundles inside

 are still breathing?

 

 “Your children are not your children”

 says Kahill Gibran

“They are the sons and daughters of life’s longing for itself.”

 Does that go for these stirrings within me too?

 

Rumblings indicate there are more

 than twins awaiting light of day.