Tuesday, June 27, 2006

four

after you'd gone
and i'd cursed your negligence

a father who doesn't know
his own child's name

i realized that the list of dates
you'd written and kept

were all the days
you'd changed his diaper.






[and this, ladies and gentlemen, is proof enough of how un-prepared i am for parenthood. my dreams keep babies in boxes with lists.]

8 comments:

ozymandiaz said...

Those who are least likely prepared for parenthood are those who believe they are...


iwlnpply

katy said...

thanks for the words of wisdome.

Crunchy Weta said...

1, 2, 3 and 4 read really well as a single poem.
Having children reconnects you with humanity- every child you see could be yours.
Keep in close relations with mothers and sisters.
Nappy changing is the least of it!
Be prepared for a big nappy surprise when the colostrum has finished...
Cheers
Glenn

katy said...

glenn, the word nappy makes me laugh. want to know why? am going to tell you anyway.

apparently, nelle, the rapper, was on Radio1 (BBC) and the dj said the word nappy. nelle then told him he couldn't say that word on the radio. he wouldn't repeat the word, and was adiment that you couldn't say the word nappy on the radio. it makes one wonder, what does nelle think nappy means?

1,2,3&4 are all one poem. well, they were all one dream. the numbers, well, the dream was segmented, so the representation is segmented. i didn't know what to call it, so i numbered it. not sure if i should have made them into 4 stanzas of oen poem, of it they work like this.

i consider them one poem, but the way they are presented, leaves room for interpertations.

thanks for reading glenn, and thanks for the parenting advise too.

babies freak me out.

Cecilia said...

You'll probably change your mind when you have your own. :) I don't have one but I've had enough experience with my younger siblings and a nephew. They're heaven, Katy. :)

arch.memory said...

Katy, I think you should keep the numbers but have them as one post (this one? Since it has most of the comments).

So this is what became of your dream... Fascinating!

Yasmin Waring said...

Do you really not know what "nappy" means to an Amerian black man on English public radio?

It's a derogatory (if coming from a non-black) person and derogatory or affectionate criticism if coming from a black person in reference to some of our hair types. the dark fragile tight and curly type that requires much moisturizing and does not yield kindly to combing.

perhaps an oversight on both their parts: nelle expecting him/her to know, and the reporter not knowing or seemingly not asking him to explain...

for us, it can be just as harsh as the other "n" word.

katy said...

thank you yasmin, i knew it was a hair type, but had no idea it was derogatory.

to me, pseudo-brit, the word nappy means diaper.

we learn something every day