Motherhood by Dorothy Porter

[Delta40]

This is an excellent poem for all mothers and for Mother's Day

No longer will she
flash
like Fantasia
across the sea floor

the giant octopus is dying

in her blue den
her clusters of eggs
swell like cysts

the giant octopus is dying

her moody vivid nervous system
shut down and dun

the giant octopus is dying

her tentacles wave
like drowned arms
her ink bubbles away

the giant octopus is dying

she's got nothing left
her eggs took the lot

[Delta40]

I'm bumping this mainly because the thing that struck me most about this poem is the aspect of motherhood which Porter exposes. It doesn't go down well as we're often busy paying homage to motherhood - especially on Mother's Day, while she expresses a dark side that exists within us and I admire her for her courage in penning it. What do others think about this side of Motherhood? Do you think it should be kept silent or is it non-existent in the first place?

[ellenc]

thank you for that - makes such a change to see the other side of things.

Such a welter of smarmy stuff about wonderful women coping with everything thats thrown at them and quite horrible spoilt kids and badtempered husbands -
yes, let it rip!