Too Many To Count – Kristiana Reed

 

3 weeks – she nestles

deep into her mother,

into her past and future.

 

5 weeks – she swims

tail fluttering

in the amniotic wind.

 

8 weeks – she moves

with tiny fingers

and toes.

 

11 weeks – she’s kicking

and dancing,

drawing circles within.

 

13 weeks – she has fingerprints

and two million eggs,

a city of pinks.

 

16 weeks – she’s a girl

with edges and bones

with nape of the neck curls.

 

19 weeks – she’s a girl who listens,

sees, touches, tastes and smells,

who won’t be reported missing.

 

20 weeks – she’s a girl,

a prayer, a disappointment,

a loss, an appointment.

 

 

Disclaimer: This was written for our series on the exploitation of women. This week is about female infanticide. One of the common methods of carrying out this heinous act is sex selective abortion. This poem is raising awareness about this. Its purpose is not to criticise abortion or women who have had abortions.

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Kristiana Reed juggles writing and teaching English; in both vocations she endeavours to remind people of their self worth and how dazzlingly beautiful the world can be.

You can read more of Kristiana’s writing at My Screaming Twenties