CHARLOTTE'S PURPOSE

The Beautiful Before


Poetry for when the "right words" don't form sentences
  • Home
  • Our Story
    • Charlotte's Journey
  • Blog
    • Poetry
  • Grief Resources
    • For the Mother
    • For the Father/Partner
    • For the sibling
    • For the Grandparent
    • For Caregivers & Medical Staff
    • How to support a grieving friend
    • Book Club
  • Memorial Planning
    • Components
    • Readings
    • Music
    • Program Templates
    • Other Ways to Remember your baby
    • Financial Assistance
  • Weekend of Kindness
    • Weekend of Kindness 2020 >
      • This Year's Projects
      • This Year's Gear
      • This Year's Impact
    • PROJECTS WE'RE PROUD OF
    • JOIN THE KINDNESS CREW
    • A FEW KIND IDEAS
  • Wrapped in Love Project
    • Project Wish List
    • Resources for Sewists
    • Project Gallery
    • Donate a Dress
    • Volunteer to Sew

3/21/2018

Sunglasses

0 Comments

Read Now
 
Heather Carnaghan
​

I smile
at the newborn’s first coos

and the delicious softness
of her peach fuzz hair against my cheek.
I am drunk on the smell 
of sweet, sour milk 
and so much life to live.

Your hair was fine.

A single lock was spared by the nurses 
before your perfect puckered mouth
and round cheeks
were turned to ash.
My consolation prize

was taped to ugly paper 
with an uninspired border
that was haphazardly off-center.

Why does she get a lifetime 
of smoothing sleep-dampened hair
and frilly bows
but I am left with 37 taped strands 
and a tear-stained box of cinders?

I didn’t spill a single tear 
on her pink and wriggling infant.

I saved them all for the desperate ride home
camouflaging jagged, jealous thoughts
and raw eyes behind unnecessary sunglasses.
​

Share

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

Details

    Author

    Write something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview.

    Archives

    August 2018
    July 2018
    March 2018

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • Our Story
    • Charlotte's Journey
  • Blog
    • Poetry
  • Grief Resources
    • For the Mother
    • For the Father/Partner
    • For the sibling
    • For the Grandparent
    • For Caregivers & Medical Staff
    • How to support a grieving friend
    • Book Club
  • Memorial Planning
    • Components
    • Readings
    • Music
    • Program Templates
    • Other Ways to Remember your baby
    • Financial Assistance
  • Weekend of Kindness
    • Weekend of Kindness 2020 >
      • This Year's Projects
      • This Year's Gear
      • This Year's Impact
    • PROJECTS WE'RE PROUD OF
    • JOIN THE KINDNESS CREW
    • A FEW KIND IDEAS
  • Wrapped in Love Project
    • Project Wish List
    • Resources for Sewists
    • Project Gallery
    • Donate a Dress
    • Volunteer to Sew