And so, for your delectation, a new collection of poems by one of the blogging queens of the natural parenting sorority and co-hostess of the Carnival of Natural Parenting. Lauren Wayne who blogs at Hobo Mama. has taken the big step of crossing over from the virtual world of the blogosphere and into print.
Poetry of a Hobo Mama: The First Three Years
Poetry of a Hobo Mama: The First Three Years
Divided into sections: Prepare, Emerge, Hope, Trust, Enjoy, this collection of poems follows the personal journey of one mother, through her first three years of motherhood. Poignant and real, told with honesty and a wonderfully wry sense of humour she shares: the rawness and longing of miscarriage; the practicality of planned conception; the desolation of death; a celebration of pregnant voluptuousness; the claustrophobia of new motherhood. As well as natural parenting topics which may never have been poemified in the whole of human history: elimination communication, sling-wearing and co-sleeping!
Lauren identifies the oceanic feelings of mothering, the strange paradox of total togetherness and yet total separateness of mother and foetus that only a woman who has carried a baby in her belly can begin to understand. The poems provoke a stab in the heart and gut of visceral recognition.
Some of the shortest poems are the most touching, and will stay with me a long time. The images and words from others now frame my own experiences. She has a compelling poetic voice. Mothers, all mothers will recognise their lives, their hopes, fears, longing, frustrations and deepest love writ large in these poems.
My favourite? A hard one, there are many... ones that brought tears to my eyes and others that made me chuckle aloud. I want to share one which does the latter: Mothers are never alone – so true and funny and perfectly formed.
Mothers are never alone
I don't have that space anymore
a hole to fill
left to my thoughts
or devices
or skin.
Even visits to the bathroom
accompanied always
by someone to talk to me
and demand his due.
Like a queen
on a throne.
Like a queen
with courtiers
and chamber servants
and everywhere a face
everywhere a voice.
Only it is I
who serve them.
Oh! My first review! Thank you so very much, Lucy. That was delightful — it makes me want to buy my own book. :) I'm so pleased you enjoyed it!
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