Umbilical Cord Poem by L. K. Thayer

I am the closest one
to my mother
but I moved
the furthest away
the soonest
I know why now
because
I was too attached

I think they forgot to cut
the umbilical cord
maybe I should go back
and ask them if they could remove it
it gets in the way
it would just take a second
just one snip
ouch!
done

I feel her pain too much
in my center
at the core of me
when she's sad, I'm sad
I try to cheer her up
she says I am the only one
who makes her laugh
it's my job, it's up to me and
I take making her laugh
very serious

my brother and sister
seem to have no problem
detaching
maybe different doctors
delivered us
they both made babies
one has two, the other, three

I had a choice
I didn't keep it
I know
that I would have been
too attached

the cord would have
strangled me