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September 16, 2005
Some thoughts on starting school: End of week 2.
Kidnapped! To My Daughter’s Teacher.
You ordered me to leave her at the door today,
seized her from my arms and told me she’d be fine.
Where do you get off, waltzing into our life
after only two weeks
and telling us what’s best?
We’ve been together for almost five years,
her and I.
I carried her for nine months,
non-stop, without a break.
Full time, as opposed
to this nine-till-three,
five days a week nonsense.
Pushed her out,
nourished her with my own milk,
held my breath as I
scrubbed body fluids from her nappies
(and later from the floor)
and then hung them up to dry.
From me she learned to walk, to talk
to sing to dance, to write her name
and to make biscuits with icing on top.
You force her to copy a few sounds
some ‘uhs’ some ‘ahs’ and some ‘muhs’
Then you think you can steal my thunder
by snatching her away
and slamming the door in my face?
Just you wait, she’ll struggle with her shoes
won’t find her peg, or her chair
and then she’ll be asking for her Mummy
or at least
a kiss
goodbye.
I don’t go home straight away, none of us do.
On tiptoes we bustle for a place at the window.
On call, waiting for when it all falls apart
at your smug little feet.
The children hang up their coats
change their shoes
(even putting them on the right feet)
and then flock through to the classroom
and sit, waiting patiently for their name to be called.
One or two of us try to wave
but not one of the fragile monsters
even glances up at the window.
Redundant, I turn away and begin the journey
back to my silent, empty nest.
Posted by purple elephant at September 16, 2005 10:41 AM