I wanted to preface this episode with a content warning - the essay I am reading is called Dear Kid. I was reminded of it by a friend who has recently experienced a miscarriage and so I wanted to let you know, this essay speaks to the hope and possibility of parenthood, which for many is a longed-for state. I have experienced my own hopes and changing expectations over the years, so I offer this ahead of Mothers Day. Skip to the 10-min mark to go straight to the poems - two fresh-born pieces for you.
“I wake up on Mother’s Day, kid – and I’m thinking of you. If you don’t ever make it, it’s okay. I promise. Everything I’ve learned waiting for you, I needed to know anyway. But I wanted you to know, kid, that I’m your Mama through and through. Even the idea of you is a gift I’m glad of, a point in the compass that guides my way. I’ve been your mother my whole life.
Rest easy, kid. Maybe soon. Keep an eye on the stars and the moon – I watch them too, and I believe in magic.”
The poems are called Dragonfly and How to Write a Poem.
I chased Dragonfly down all summer and it finally arrived this week. How to Write a Poem showed herself soon after.
The Dragonfly.