A Man Gives Birth
\nBy
\nJennifer Angelina Petro<\/p>\n
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Who says men can\u2019t give birth?
\nThis body carried a woman
\nFor forty seven years. This body
\nLoved a woman in secret\u2014secret even
\nUnto himself\u2014he did not even know
\nShe was there being loved by secret parts
\nOf himself, surrounded by angels,
\nAnd this secret man tended her nest,
\nFed her with everything he had.
\nAnd when she was ready
\nTo be born, to spread elegant
\nAnd vulnerable wings, he opened
\nHimself with grace, sacrificed himself
\nWith genuine humility, and sang her
\nInto being, wrote her into form,
\nTracing the lines of her face
\nWith wonder-filled fingers. And
\nShe spread wings made of light woven with night,
\nAnd he made room for her to settle
\nInto them, and overtime he coaxed her out,
\nAlthough she didn\u2019t need much coaxing really,
\nBut he encouraged her to move closer to the edge,
\nAnd with eyes full of joyous tears, watched her begin
\nTo fly, and he has done nothing
\nExcept cheer as she began circling, soaring,
\nSinging to the sun and the moon with her wings
\nAnd her heart and her whole being free
\nAnd unencumbered. And he knows
\nHe will diminish as she increases,
\nAnd he knows his form will fade from view,
\nAnd he
\nIs
\nSo
\nGrateful
\nTo have been the one chosen
\nTo bear this secret beauty,
\nThis hidden treasure,
\nThis pearl of great price,
\nThis Bird of Great Rejoicing,
\nAnd she
\nIs
\nSo
\nGrateful
\nFor everything he has done
\nAnd has yet to do–
\nFor his tender, artistic hands
\nThat hold and groom her wings,
\nFor his willingness to risk everything
\nThat she may live. And now,
\nShe flies and sings her world
\nInto being, inviting you to go with her
\nInto a morning of beautiful
\nAnd dangerous possibilities.
\nYou are being called
\nTo be doulas for them both,
\nFor they are going to need you,
\nThey are going to need time
\nTo rest in each other\u2019s arms,
\nAnd sleep without interruption,
\nHe will need understanding
\nAnd sustenance, she will need places
\nTo fly with acceptance and celebration,
\nHe will need you to remember
\nHe didn\u2019t have a choice in this.
\nShe was meant to be born,
\nShe was conceived by stars and the moon,
\nAnd he was chosen to carry
\nThis little galaxy of wonder,
\nAnd he could not pick the time for her arrival.
\nAnd now she is here, flying–wings singing softly
\nAnd with incredible power,
\nThrough a blue sky full of unknown spaces,
\nThrough the night sky full of magic and yellow eyes
\nWatching from the shadows,
\nThrough a soul sky full of blessed calm.
\nSo come, you too were given wings,
\nYou too have secret angels tending beings
\nAching to be born, and of course, not necessarily
\nLike mine\u2014a being of a new gender–no, you have your own
\nHidden treasure, your own secret owl or nightingale,
\nYour own hidden being who nevertheless longs for freedom,
\nSo come, I know what it\u2019s like
\nTo be born unexpectedly, let\u2019s be each other\u2019s midwives,
\nLet\u2019s nurse one another
\nWith holy fire.<\/p>\n
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