Outside, a long total eclipse
Arabs and Israelis lock horns,
peace accords in France are fixed, a
new era for Vietnam dawns
Inside, bright light, sterility
‘Don’t you want to push?’ asks the nurse,
confused by her reality –
the chaos of my mum’s first birth
Outside, a city is throbbing,
it’s Saturday night, disco time –
bodies shimmering and dancing,
to the beat, a rhythm sublime
Inside, I am still, something’s wrong,
Dad is told to leave the room now,
this labour has gone on too long –
ripped out by forceps, shocked, I howl.