Poem 196 – Something to learn from this

Something to learn from this

for Alice

Slut, she called her
Cover up, she hissed
She threatened to
sick the boys on her
for wanting attention

How does a mother
respond to these daggers?
Her breast tenderly feeding
her freshborn son in the
shade of maples tightening
their roots in anger – what
could she do

vulnerable, scared, enraged
utterly protective & pure?
This blight in a park by
an ignorant other – what
motivates this ruthless rot?

A mother’s love flavours
her breast milk, so does her
fear, her protection, her
empowerment, her ability
to choose – a mother’s
being liquifies for her child

Motherhood expands
into public places
where hate lives &
ignorance seethes
how do we navigate
the dark actions of
other people’s pain?

This issue is beyond
the breast – it lives
in the freedom of choice
of body rights
of human rights

We are alive to
keep others alive
in compassionate
unconditional love,
are we not?