It was so simple for him to say
To tell me to get an abortion
To flush our beautiful son down the drain
A gorgeous child with my dark coffee brown eyes
A laugh that makes me melt whenever I hear it
A smile so sweet and pure and innocent
Small hands that I could stroke all day
And cheeks that I can’t stop kissing
If only your father had his way…
The thought of it still brings tears
And I just want to hold my baby close
Hug him, kiss him, tell him that “you are loved”
And “no, you were not a mistake”
Give him the world, unconditional support and love
Always be there whenever he needs his mama
And hope I teach him
To respect women and all living things
And that words are powerful and everlasting
written by Sumiko Braun
"The Power of Words" can be found in Sumiko's poetry chapbook, BECOMING: A Journey to Complete Samsara, at Blacklava. Please support our local community artists!