I am dubious about writing poetry. It’s very difficult to get right and far to easy to get wrong, I always think. But despite this, and although I have never considered myself to be a poet or aspired to be one, I keep finding myself trying to write poetry. What’s that about, I wonder?
Anyway, with the coming of the frost recently I’ve found myself thinking about last winter when I was heavily pregnant with my now nine-month-old third-born son. I remembered that I wrote a poem trying to capture the vast uncomfortableness of my condition. So last night I found it and read it again. I grimaced. Then I tweeked it a bit and grimaced some more. Then I rewrote bits of it, grimaced, tweeked, re-wrote… and then lost all perspective.
So I thought instead of filing it away (which I am massively tempted to do) I would post it here. There’s not much point writing things if I just squirrel them away. So, without further ado, here is my slightly silly poem about late pregnancy.
Eight Months
I have a huge and heavy
Robust and wriggling belly.
I am anticipatory and trepidatory,
While waiting I grow weighty;
My swollen tummy ever growing,
My once-slim figure ever going,
Expanding skin now stretched so taut,
And oh, the expensive creams I’ve bought
To halt the marks and stop the itching
That heavy pregnancy’s inflicting.
And it’s not just that: my feet are fat.
I can’t sleep on my front or back,
In fact, I cannot sleep at all
Without a massive pillow wall
That wraps around my front and rear;
My poor old husband can’t get near!
And then there’s matters of the table;
Although I eat all I am able,
Dining’s losing its appeal
As I can’t have a single meal
Without a painful gas affliction
Gaviscon’s my new addiction.
Then when I have to go outside
I feel like someone twice as wide
And lumber slowly down the street
With painful hips and back and feet
And even this small animation
Gives me bouts of palpitations.
It’s been a tiring pregnancy
But soon I’ll be a mum of three
And won’t be whinging half as much
When there’s nothing in me but my guts!
I’m linking this up with Prose for Thought over at Verily Victoria Vocalises.
Ha ha – it brings all the memories from the time when I was heavily pregnant and wobbling about
I intend to re-read it if I ever get broody again – that’ll put me off!
Fabulous I absolutely love it.
So you will be a mum of 3 in time for Xmas?
Super.
Liska xx
Thanks Liska. I wrote this last year – baby no. three is very much with us. Looking forward to celebrating his first christmas though!
Oh this took me back! I remember that feeling. Nothing quite like it. And yes get your work out into the world. Art isn’t art until it is shared
Interesting philosophical point there Stephanie! Thanks for the encouragement.
This is fab – loved it. Brought back memories and loved the structure – this should accompany all new mummy handbooks – so fab #prose4t
Thanks Cathie, reading it again today did take me back!
Haha, and are you whinging less? Or did you end up whinging more but about the exhaustion that comes with having three demanding small people to look after?? Thank you for sharing your poem, I really enjoyed reading it!
Good question Judith… Hmm, hard to say… I definitely find it easier not being pregnant but I do whinge a lot about sleep deprivation! He’s a lovely, laid-back, happy baby but he’s still not sleeping through!
Don’t know what you were worrying about. I love this. It’s well written and takes me right back to those last weeks of my pregnancy – little bugger was late too! Well done on being brave. Hope you post many more.
Thanks Emily, I appreciate the support and I loved your poem too!
Love how this brings all the ‘joys’ of pregnancy back to life… glad you didn’t squirrel it away!
Thanks Helen, reading it again brought it all back for me too! Am very glad to be ‘on the other side’!
Firstly, I am certain even the best poets doubt their work. you have no need whatsoever. This is absolutely brilliant – it sums up the feeling so very completely
I love it. Thank you so much for linking to Prose for Thought and hope to see you again x
Thanks Victoria! I will certainly be linking up with #prose4T again… just about to do it now actually!