Woman And Child

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As I walked 

Through the place

Where life and death resided

And sickness was 

A house guest who

Now claimed residence,

I came across a woman.

A woman tucked away

In a corner, set aside

From prying eyes.

In her arms,

Lay a baby suckling

Upon her ripened tit.

In the moment or two

That it took for me

To register what I beheld,

I could not help contemplating

Who this woman and her child were

And who they shall become.

I wondered if she was

On the cusps of womanhood

And already was with child

Or if she was beyond ripe

And still was able 

To bring forth life.

I wondered if the child

Was her first,

Her second or

Her sixth

And if at home 

Waited siblings looking

Forward to their new

Brother or sister.

I wondered if the birth 

Of the child was planned,

Their existence craved

By both father and mother,

The embodiment of their love,

Another element that

Bound the parents together.

I wondered if the birth

Was an accident,

A broken condom,

A miscalculation on his part.

His dipping his pen

In the inkwell

And signing a contract

He would soon break,

But she unable to do 

The same. Eighteen plus

Years living with a mistake.

Despite what brought

This child into being,

I hoped they would

Take the gift

That is life and

Bring change to the world.

I hoped they would

Make advances in

Health, science, technology,

Or create a new business model

Or inspire others to 

Move beyond their limits

And live the lives

They should be living.

And even though

They may never live up

To my loft aspirations

For them, I hope

They would love and respect

Their parents, their loved one

And most of all

Themselves.

I looked away

From the woman and child

And continued on my way

Through the place

Where both life and death resided.

My time had come

And I was to return

To where I had come,

But I was comforted

In the knowledge that

Another will take my place,

Another will take up the challenge

Of changing the world.