Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Carmien Michels

My mother my daughter

That dream in which I was pregnant
with my own mum
didn’t dare call her about it

Or when my dad said
I want to be a girl

Finally I said
rubbing my belly
to check
whether my mum had heard

She kicked harder than ever
until my dad
crimped and his smile
cramped

Mijn moeder mijn dochter

Mijn moeder mijn dochter

Die droom waarin ik zwanger was
van mijn moeder
haar er niet over durfde bellen

Of toen mijn vader zei
ik wil een meisje zijn

Eindelijk zei ik en
wreef over mijn buik
om te verifiëren
of mijn moeder het had gehoord

Ze schopte heviger dan ooit
net zolang tot mijn vader
kromp en kramp
in zijn glimlach kreeg
Close

My mother my daughter

That dream in which I was pregnant
with my own mum
didn’t dare call her about it

Or when my dad said
I want to be a girl

Finally I said
rubbing my belly
to check
whether my mum had heard

She kicked harder than ever
until my dad
crimped and his smile
cramped

My mother my daughter

That dream in which I was pregnant
with my own mum
didn’t dare call her about it

Or when my dad said
I want to be a girl

Finally I said
rubbing my belly
to check
whether my mum had heard

She kicked harder than ever
until my dad
crimped and his smile
cramped
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