I am Mother and I am my Child.

17 months you grew within me:

two heartbeats – one life;

nourished as I was fed –

     but, favored finned ones were too few,

          our water – fouled and cloudy,

     metallic noise - disrupted the echo of my quest.

My belly warmed, expanded with your promise.

You floated in the amniotic fluid of my being

     as I swam in Gaia’s womb   -    calling to you.

We rolled softly with the ocean current

until you emerged into a new bond:

two heartbeats – two lives.   

You swam free, eager, struggling to my side.

                                                                            (continued)

Oh, the joy of your clicks and calls –

‘swim my child…breathe my child…’

let me lift you to your promise of life.

I carried you again, my child

for 17 days and one thousand miles -

‘swim my child…breathe my child…’

-        calling you from your silence.

Our family surrounded us in the moonlight -

we drifted with Luna’s full light

     across the shimmering dark water...           

                    -   you slipped away from me  -

     your squeals and whistles lost to the sea.

One pulse – one life.

My belly aches with an emptiness I cannot fill.

I gave you all that nourished me –

     but, favored finned ones are few,

          our water – fouled and cloudy,

metallic noise - disrupts the echo of my quest.

I swim in Gaia’s womb – laboring for Life.

                                 ~

© August 2019, Vicky M. Semones