the women on Labor & Delivery limping
around in Johnies, white elastic stockings
under blue-white marbled thighs and shiny knees
I sat in the lounge
full of full ashtrays
trying to read the directions for hospital corners
and they smoked and said ‘spotting’
and ‘miscarriage’ and ‘her water broke’
‘cord around his neck’
‘blue baby’
‘bloody show’
and oh, pain, pain, pain pain
they didn’t talk about pain
but, hands on hips leaning back full-bellied
pushed through the heavy swinging doors
to cursing screaming
sounds I did not want
to hear
or make
thirty babies screaming behind a white window
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