Greetings, my non-existent readers. I do hope you've had a wonderful Christmas.
I know. I. Know. It has indeed been a while since I posted anything on here ... although, I sincerely doubt that anybody has been waiting with baited breath. K.O.D was (and probably still is) merely syntactic bait cast unto uninterested waters, sniffed at, and left to drift into the vastness of the digital ocean. Never mind.
Sooo ...
What's been happening. Well, at the behest of my partner, Louise, I have, over the past few months, had the misfortune of sitting through the occasional episode of 'Teen Mom', '16 and Pregnant' or some other standardized version of the same dreary format. The thing about watching this tripe, is that it nearly always leads to a certain question: 'What would you do if one of our daughters got pregnant at sixteen?', and the answer is usually a rather agitated 'I don't bloody know'.
But then I thought what if? I mean, it's a fair question. In our time, and particularly, our country, the chances are pretty high. You can guide them, teach them, threaten, ban, or batter them, but if they make the wrong choices it doesn't really matter. I could be a Grandad in ten years ... aaarrrghhhhhhh!
In all seriousness, though. I wrote this poem:
Sixteen and Pregnant
The black pencil lines, around her eyes, liquefy
She's stricken, confused; she's nervous inside.
I should ask if everything's alright,
but I feel out of place
We both know that Mum's better at holding the floodgates.
Yet, if the tears do cascade, as events are replayed
that one night she regrets
that whole god damn day
Then what use am I?
I'm no good with words
I'd say the wrong thing - make it all worse.
But she's looking to me, with fear in her eyes
I've got to stay strong, she needs my advice.
I stutter at first
then I say we'll stand by her
give love and support - whatever is required.
It's not ideal
- that's an understatement
But together we can make the best of this bad situation.
I tell her to stay strong.
Say: there's options for you
we would never pressurize you, or force you to choose.
This decision can be made by you and ONLY YOU
because this is your life...
well, your childhood in truth
Then she says that she wants to consult the father
- but I don't agree
She doesn't know him that well
he's older - new on the scene
And I can't really see him being around
when there's nappies to change or cash to be found.
But I'll leave that to her
She's got her own mind
I just hope,
no, pray
that her decision is right.
Now, if it was up to me
I'd tell her to get rid
You can't have a baby, your just a kid.
I know your scared, but it WILL be okay
We'll be there to hold your hand every step of the way
I really think it's for the best - I bet you do too.
Because...you know
when you were born
you knocked us for six
and we had ten years on you.
I'm well aware that this fetus inside
is an unborn life
that you may, or may not think has a right to survive
This has nothing to do with Anti or Pro life
but an expression of opinion, the use of a voice
to say it's nobody's business - except hers -
that's why I'M PRO-CHOICE
Peace, Love, and Poppadoms
Glenn
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