Birth Story (poem)

Birth Story
-By Barbara Kozlowski

(Found on  http://web.archive.org/web/20090206153815/http://birthlove.cyclzone.com/pages/stories/poems.html and copied here July 2022)

(I'm drowning)

And the midwife holds me in her arms and says

Yes, it's hard isn't it . . you're doing so well

(And I am surfacing)

And she says,"you're doing it exactly right"

(I'm drowning)

And she says," you're taking such good care of your baby"

(And I am surfacing)

And she says, "yes this is how it is, you'll live, you're good and strong

(I'm drowning)

And she says good, good, that's good

(And I am surfacing)

And part of me says "f*ck you, I am dying here"

(I'm drowning)

And part of me says, " oh my god, I AM doing this, aren't I?

(And I am surfacing)

And part of me says LEAVE ME ALONE, SAVE ME, HELP ME

(I'm drowning)

And part of me says this is the most incredible thing I've ever done

I can't believe I'm actually doing this yes, yes, YES

(And I am surfacing)

And the baby comes in a long, sea salt waterfall flood

ocean of sweat and tears and birth waters and blood

And I take her slippery, warm, wide eyed, amazed and knowing little self against my Earth Mother created-and-moved-the-universe warm and billowy belly and tell her she's wonderful and safe

And I follow her with a red and glorious afterbirth

And I think "I DID IT! I AM TOTALLY INCREDIBLE! WE WANT SOME PRIZES AND NEWS COVERAGE IN HERE! DID YOU SEE THAT? WAS THAT GREAT OR WHAT?!"

​

And the doctor writes:

32-year-old gravida 2, para 1 presents in active labor. Normal spontaneous vaginal delivery of a viable female LOA over intact perineum. Apgars of 9 & 10. Uneventful delivery.