Arms around me,
holding tight.
Eyes over shoulders,
breaths just right.

Seconds as hours.
“Focus on me!”
Pain with purpose,
a family of three.

Seconds blurred,
moments etched.
My mother’s heart,
pulled, stretched.

“Little one, it’s just
you and me.
We can do this.” Push!
One, two, three.

Gush of ending,
purple and blue.
Rubbed til pink,
each breath it grew.

Birthing a miracle,
forming a bond.
Skin to skin,
suckle, respond.

Heart stopping love,
eyes shimmer true.
Drowning myself
in him, me, and you.

©2021 Mary Grace van der Kroef