Late Amniotic
Late Amniotic
By this time what she holds is the entire
world, floating not in space but in the slosh
of her, uterine ocean a gyre
that squeezes galaxies into a blood-washed
ball–not all ball–squiggle limbs, globe head–
hers not working well–she remembers
a friend whose wool tights had ballooned, she’s said–
she thought she’d peed (weeping)–as husband tendered
her seeping bulk–that woman–into the car.
She’s still dry as sweat, lights flickering, or lids,
thin as cotton swabbed over belly’s shore-
‘I love you, I love you, I love you–‘ bids
she offers now–all she might ever be–
as she waits on the breaking of that wine dark sea.
********************************************
When I am not sure what to write, I tend to go for a sonnet. The form forces decisions, and hopefully, makes a bit of its own music..
This is a new one, still a draft of sorts, that I wrote for my poetics prompt on dVerse Poets Pub about a body or bodies of water.
A few side notes – my computer has overheated so it is possible I will be visiting people through a mobile device that sometimes uses the moniker “outlawyer.”
Secondly, I recently passed my fourth anniversary here at Manicddaily. I have really enjoyed blogging and I know I will continue with it, but life has gotten very stressful of late, and I may need to cut down. (I always say this, and I never do, but I am concerned that the wear and tear shows in the quality of the poems I post.)
Do check in as I’m sure I will be still posting, maybe even tomorrow–there are all these great prompts out there, including one by my friend Hedgewitch on WithRealToads. But after that, I really do intend to slow down a bit.
Thanks for your past support and your ongoing friendship.
Explore posts in the same categories: poetry, UncategorizedTags: her body of water poem, http://dVersepoets.com, labor poem, Late Amniotic, manicddaily, poem about childbirth, when the waters won't break
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ManicDDaily 
July 27, 2013 at 2:33 pm
nice sonnet k…birth, we reinact creation in that moment…love how you have her carrying a small universe within her….it is like that…a cool way of looking at it…
look forward to seeing you around when we see you…congrats on your 4 years…that is some time…and there are times we def need to slow down…and live a bit…smiles.
July 30, 2013 at 10:37 am
hope your week is going well k…smiles.
July 30, 2013 at 11:23 am
Thanks! I am okay, trying not to think of blogging too much, but couldn’t miss yours! I am sorely in need of many kinds of breaks, but have to do the ones I can control! k.
On Tue, Jul 30, 2013 at 11:37 AM, ManicDDaily
July 27, 2013 at 2:38 pm
Karin, you may take a tiny hiatus from writing, but the inspirations will return, the muses will titillate, the earth will move & your soul will move with it in the infinite dance of poetics. I, too, sometimes feel a bit burdened by my passions, and have to let them rebuild themselves and return invigorated; as will you Thanks for being there for all us.
July 27, 2013 at 2:43 pm
Ah, what a body–of water, and of another body, and of all the miniature worlds and gravitational forces they inter-connect and exude here. I honestly don’t think the quality of your writing has been affected by your state of mind of late, k–it may feel more hectic or pushed, but your voice to me seems undimmed. As always you turn the sonnet form to good account, and let it work it’s measured way through your needle-and-thread sort of thinking process, where you sew one idea to the next in an embroidery of word stitches. I think you have floated to the top of your challenge gracefully. Since you have given me permission, I may use a raindrop for my body of water. ;_)
July 27, 2013 at 2:47 pm
Great. It is a super poem – the raindrop I mean, with the Alice – That Summer? I know that’s not name, but good. k. (And thanks. I hate the patness of sonnets, but they really do get you through to the end.) k.
July 27, 2013 at 2:44 pm
Oh, this is a draft? I LOVE it. Yes, I have carried two oceans, and you have so caught this experience.
July 27, 2013 at 2:52 pm
Ha! poetic minds on a similar wavelength!! I was also thinking about the “Water of Life” with a different twist! Always love your sonnets !!
“uterine ocean a gyre
that squeezes galaxies into a blood-washed
ball” love this description !! An entrancing vision of rushing off to give birth, pure gold !!! Congratulations on 4 years !! and thanks for the H2O prompt !!!
July 27, 2013 at 3:02 pm
wow, did this bring back the day my daughter was born, unfortunately there were other liquids involved, those of the red variety with an emergency c-section, very touch and go for a while…. but you so captured the swimming emotions, the hope and the anxiety of such a profound moment. thank you for this
July 27, 2013 at 9:11 pm
Birth is a much more complicated process than we like to think it is these days– a lot of difficulties! Glad you made it through! k.
July 27, 2013 at 3:37 pm
Born in an ocean of life. Love your words. Love ya!
July 27, 2013 at 4:03 pm
Lovely and clever at once.
Congrats on your four years. Always a pleasure to visit here. No problem with quality. Not to worry, Karen.
July 27, 2013 at 8:45 pm
Thanks so much, Jamie. k.
July 27, 2013 at 4:16 pm
Dark wine sea, I love how she holds whatever she calls the universe or world or slosh or globe head ~
I am amazed of your writing K and I hope you continue to write every now and then ~
July 27, 2013 at 8:46 pm
I am sure I will write a lot – but I just need a break from the pressure of postings, I think. Thanks so much, Grace. k.
July 27, 2013 at 4:26 pm
Interesting take.. birth.. and those symbolic references.. a great read. 🙂
July 27, 2013 at 4:35 pm
I remember my water breaking the first time. It is scary. Happy 4 year anniversary as Manicddaily!
July 27, 2013 at 4:44 pm
I love, love, love the theme of your poem. It is such a special time and feeling.
Congratulations on your four years – I’m only three and a quarter! I’ve had to cut down lately, but no doubt the posts will proliferate again some time.
July 27, 2013 at 4:59 pm
Stunning, beautiful poem, Karin. I so understand the pull of wanting to post and yet dealing with the time crunch (and for me some physical issues). Do what you have to to take care of yourself. And if this poem appears to you not to be perfect, I beg to disagree. But I know the feeling. Been posting some old ones because of the above issues and I’m not happy with them. Take care.
July 27, 2013 at 8:45 pm
Thanks, Victoria–I’m just pulled in a lot of directions right now. Thankfully, health is okay. Take care of yourself!!!!k.
July 27, 2013 at 5:06 pm
I had the honour of experiencing this body of water of life five times…love the way you have made this your own.
I too have taken numerous breaks and time out from blogging – and poetry. It is SO essential. Have a good break…
July 27, 2013 at 5:33 pm
Very nice. Love that you used a sonnet to get such a grand idea going, the magnitude of continuing life, reproducing another universe in human scale.
July 27, 2013 at 5:42 pm
You have captured the experience in a way that is so keeping with your particular style. and I don’t see the ‘rough draftish’ at all from my perspective. Sometimes I think we are more critical of our own work than anyone else is. But, certainly if you need a break, it is important to honor that as well.
July 27, 2013 at 6:02 pm
awesome, the water breaks, one world opens into another
July 27, 2013 at 8:59 pm
really exquisite sonnet… this is one water I don’t often think of, but as it is the first feel for humans, its importance reigns. What a wonderful, strong voice here. I love wine dark sea and seeping bulk. The urgency of the “I love you”s resounds.
July 27, 2013 at 9:09 pm
Thanks so much, Jane. The wine dark sea is meant to be a reference to Homer–I don’t know if it really works, or even what I mean, though though I might rename something like Amniotic Odyssey–i know in some translations they always translate the sea that way, so when I was thinking of different phrases, it just came to mind. I really enjoyed your lovely poem, especially being the pragmatist I am. k.
July 28, 2013 at 12:33 am
Experienced birth from a distance 3 times over! The suffering is felt not just by the mother but by the hubbies too! Enjoyed your water hosting K! Take that well earned rest, it’ll help!
Hank
July 28, 2013 at 12:54 am
It’s my first time to visit your blog. I must say this is love at first read. Your poem moves like water, brimming out of the banks that is the form.
July 28, 2013 at 2:20 am
i just love how you put this…so much magic in carrying a life inside the womb…always left me breathless with awe…the waiting for the sea to break and reveal its treasure…really cool k. – and congrats on 4 years – that’s something to be proud of – sometimes good to take it a bit slower as well – i wrote daily when i started my blog or almost daily – but at some point decided to do only 3 posts a week – i would love to do more but it would be too stressful – not necessarily the writing but the returning comments and all that goes with it.. so i def. understand
July 28, 2013 at 2:58 am
Beautiful sonnet, Karin.The unfolding comes out clearly through .those verses. This doesn’t look like a draft at all!! Wonderful prompt..and excellent take, I must say!
July 28, 2013 at 5:17 am
This is a very beautiful poem. No deterioration in quality here!
July 28, 2013 at 10:02 am
Wonderfully said, k!
I’m on a bit of a hiatus myself recently. Just too much going on, and something had to be put aside for awhile, so I backed off on the poetry. I’m still doing my daily inspirations, but that’s about all I have time for. I’m tentatively scheduling a full return sometime after the New Year. Until then, it will be sporadic, and mostly re-runs as far as poems are concerned.
Best to you regarding whatever is going on in your life!
July 28, 2013 at 12:19 pm
beautiful and depicts how it feels
July 28, 2013 at 2:06 pm
Sometimes a break one must take, so far haven’t felt the need to partake in one at my lake. But maybe one day and such creative spirit here today.
July 28, 2013 at 2:28 pm
Super– some really great lines “she thought she’d pee (weeping)…her seeping bulk” …some great imagery there! peace, Jason
July 28, 2013 at 2:31 pm
Wonderful “draft”! A uterine ocean and all that goes with the baby…a loving and beautiful write.
July 28, 2013 at 4:04 pm
What a wonderful description, I really like this one.
July 28, 2013 at 5:23 pm
beautiful sonnet, Karin… that last line, breathtaking. thank you for the wonderful prompt…
take care – sometimes real life gets to us… i hope you will find some room to breathe, soon…
July 28, 2013 at 6:01 pm
It is a whole world we carry…a piece and yet apart from us in some ways… wonderfully creative take on the prompt. Worked so well in the sonnet form 🙂
July 28, 2013 at 10:38 pm
Don’t let this thing take control of you – if you need to do less – do less. I mostly only get drafts and bits of thoughts out lately myself. This sonnet packed with vivid images and great lines so your work is not suffering from where I’m sitting.
July 28, 2013 at 11:45 pm
This is stunningly written even though you refer to it as a draft of sorts. I have carried 2 oceans also, this took me back – thank you for your words.
July 29, 2013 at 12:12 am
HOpe you find your cocoon soon to birth new thoughts and emerge refreshing! take care
July 29, 2013 at 2:19 am
To me it’ s brilliant piece of work …the whole thought and the execution…lovely…hope to see you around.
http://manimantraa.blogspot.in/
July 29, 2013 at 7:57 am
Was that for the Royal birth of the future king of England? 🙂 Well timed, that’s for sure. And a beauty to read. Many thanks.
Greetings from London.
July 29, 2013 at 8:13 am
Ha! I do not have a TV so don’t keep up with all of this! Except tangentially. Thanks. k.
July 31, 2013 at 5:43 am
What a great response to the prompt! I love tangential thinking.
It’s funny how we have our favourite forms – mine used to be the limerick, my fall back when I knew I had to write something. Nowadays it si the herrick’s Stanza. A safe place to write.