The doctor had said “Congratulations Ma, you are with child”
Oh!!! I leaped for joy
“I will not take responsibility for this child. Get rid of it” he screamed at me.
I was shocked, broken; what next was the question as I pondered.
“I will have this child, come what may”.
Months away and I felt you inside of me.
The joy I felt, a mother’s joy.
Nine months down the lane, you were born,
Adorable, I called you Kosisochukwu,
How it pleases God.
I will cradle you while you suckle on my breast.
Even in pain, one look at you and I smile.
You passed through all the stages
Then you walked.
Despite the ridicule, I was proud of you my love,
Seventeen months and 10 day old, you woke up with a temperature.
I prepped you up, carried you in my arm and rushed to the health centre.
Flooded with the sick, I pleaded with the nurses.
You were in a bad shape, vomiting and stooling..
“Somebody please help”
“Woman, please have a seat, there are worst cases here”, the nurse echoed.
I ran out, headed for another hospital; it was 7am on a Sunday morning.
Not more than a mile away, I heard the heavy sigh.
You were cold.
I kept holding you, praying, begging the one up there, “Don’t take her away from me”
“She is gone madam, we are sorry” the doctor said.
I ran out, confused, screaming, called on the one up there.
But he never answered. You were gone;
Now everything is dark and empty;
At dawn, I say “As it pleases the good God”
At night I cry, wondering why he abandoned me in my lowest moment
So now I wallow in my pain, my darkness I have embraced, my emptiness I have welcomed.
It’s been a year now yet I can’t forget.
Come back to me, please come back my Kosisochukwu.
So touching. Well done dear, more space in your imagination room.