Monday, February 1, 2010

Community Poem II: Prescription

Prescription
by the Community

Spend time with your baby.
Cry when you need to cry.
Take care of your body.
Don't be so desperate for another baby.
Live.
Eat, just chew and swallow.
Be gentle on yourself.
Keep a journal.
Take lots of walks.
Breath.
Take it one minute at a time.
Be selfish.
Get dressed.
Meditate.
Hug.
Be hugged.
Don't be so angry.
Get over it and move on.
Remember you can have another.
Laugh a little more.
Lean on your friends and family.
Be kind to yourself.
Don't feel guilty for smiling sometimes.
Plan your "cry time" every day.
Be grateful for your living child.
Step outside in the fresh air.
Breathe in deeply.
Cry if you need to.
Take it one day at a time.
Read the Psalms.
Light a candle.
Move on.
Just be.
Spend time outside
Scream into the ocean.
Chin up.
Forgive yourself.
Find a way.
Just breathe.
Be strong.
Let yourself cry.

"Hold your ground and take it as it comes, there's no other way."
Philip Roth

:::

about the piece.
Community Poem II: Prescription was written by 30 men and women who have experienced miscarriage, stillbirth or neonatal loss. Contributors were asked to contribute one line of advice they were given, they would like to give or they would have liked to hear after their loss. They were asked to write the line in a command form. The lines were then compiled into a poem. The last line, contributed by Catherine W., is from Philip Roth's novel, Everyman.

about the contributors.
Contributors by their on-line pseudonym or real life name include: Jill, Kristin, Krissy, Jeanette, Michael, Julie, Ines (forwardtumble), Jess (after iris), Catherine W., Beth, Holly, Sally (Hope's Mama), Skytimes, Amy, Caz, Jill (Fireflyforever), Jenni, Carly, Audrey, AMS (ourowncreation), Erika P. Kara aka Mother Henna, Amber Hemstreet, Lynda Naranjo, Carly Brooks, Michele, Dani819, Molly, biojen, Philip Roth, and Angie.

11 comments:

  1. Brilliant, Angie. And the submissions are perfect.
    Love the final line.

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  2. Good job! some lines really resonate, others jar!

    You did well to pull us all into line

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  3. Fantastic. Some lines made me nod, others wince.
    Thank you for accommodating my line stolen from Philip Roth. What an awkward thing to submit, I didn't really think it through!

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  4. very well done, indeed, it's an understatement really, its excellent. And the title is very fitting. kudos.

    xxoo Ines

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  5. very nice. really expresses the mix of responses i got from others and from others (and from the voices in my head!).

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  6. I read this and thought "Yeah, uh-huh, oh yes, that one too" - nodding and wincing through it all. I had been told so many of these things, some (few) which comforted me and many which brought me to angry tears and frustration. Great idea and thanks for putting it all together!

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  7. Perfect, love the last line. Like others have already said I nodded and winced at each line.

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  8. Brilliant idea. I have heard some and felt others, and like some have already said cringed when I heard a few.

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  9. Great job putting this together!

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  10. I really like the way it came out. Thanks for putting it together!

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  11. beautiful...great job

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