When I hear a baby cry
inside a grocery store
observing as the mother
does not keep care of this first chore
of caring for her little one
she chose to birth, ignore
It takes one minute to attend
There is the bathroom door....
These cries, communicating,
'Hey mommy here I am!
I have a little problem
Help now! the voice demands
I hear this little voice
Inside that little head
the thoughts expressed so loud and clear
'I want to go to bed!
Please burp me, I am thirsty
And yes, oh by the way
My diaper's full, I'm hungry
When are we going to play?
These scratchy pants you put on me
are squeezing me too tight
I need a bath - I'm itchy
Will bubbles float tonight?
One favor, O dear mommy
(while your happy 'cause you smiled)
Can you walk and start to move
onto the other aisle?
As I watch her loitering
and strolling oh so slow
The thoughts shout out inside my head
'Can't take this anymore! '
Baby's cries now turn to stress
An endless scream with gasps
Even mom anticipates
this little one's next breath.
As quickly as it started
Abruptly, crying stops
Tears puddled in the big blue eyes
Now hiccups start to pop.
This little one surrenders
To the mom's decisive choice
to ignore her little one's
attempt to have a voice.
Jeannie Ann Clark
Revised: 12/14/07
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem