The Birth

The eleventh day of October.2.30pm After months of fertility treatment Temperature watching Hormone boosting and tinkering Injections and pills The culmination approaches Mode of delivery, induction. A suppository. A syntocin drip A doctor wearing a psychedelic tie Inserts a tool, mechanically breaks the waters Episiotomy. A slice with blade. A stitch up Haig-Ferguson forceps, metal scoops Like salad tongs, clamped over The incoming head I was floating, high as the ceiling On pethidine, then dropped Like a stone into sleep My boy had arrived, birth jaundice yellow Colour of hair,black. Nine months like Russian dolls, One womb, two heart beats Now we were parted, He to a special nursery, under strong lights Me to cool linen sheets, a healing sleep Nothing prepares you for motherhood Will I cope? Will I fail? Will he suckle? He arrived into the time of the Iron Lady Rallies held by the National Front Jimmy Saville fixing it for himself ‘He'll be a charmer, ' the midwife said Forcing his jaws open to face the teat