Rén is a traditional Chinese character that can be roughly translated as "humanity" or "humaneness". The rén rén is a "benevolent" or "humane person".

Bǐ mò is a term for "pen and ink", "words" or bits of writing.

Monday, April 18, 2011

Here and Now

I was reading at The Yawp about an ekphrasis project (poetry inspired by images in this case) and thought it sounded like a great idea. I did a free write at Sans Serif about the picture before I started writing. I'll be pulling some of my ideas from that free write for this poem. 


Here's the image I started out with:
(Photo from "Getting Pregnant Over 40 - Is it possible?" http://www.squidoo.com/get-pregnant-over-40  Copyright © 2011, Squidoo, LLC and respective copyright owners)



With a free write under my belt, I sat down to write a poem. I'm not sure it's quite there yet, but here's (at least) a first draft:


Here and Now

Our minds dwell on future and past
Where will we leave our footprints
behind? Where have they gone before?

A child lies restless in the belly of a woman
who is on her path to starting a family.
The child tosses and turns, the mother thinks
“Where will he go – a mover like this?
Will he be a doctor or lawyer or teacher?
Where have I been? Here and there.
And now I am going to be a mother.”
She smiles to herself at the future path
laid before her, brick by brick 
in her mind.

This woman is already a mother.
Her child inside her is already her child.
He is living, experiencing her care,
her movements, her strange food desires,
her inhale, her exhale – he takes her breath.
Placing a foot behind her belly button,
he presses – Know I am here. She knows.
Tickling toes that she will soon see bare,
she hums to herself and to him – 
living in the moment.


Comments welcome.



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