God For A Day

GOD FOR A DAY

I’m a fetus four months of age,

Without a choice of my own.

It’s sad to be within this cage,

Curled up alone.

Five months to go before my birth.

Five months and, “Cut the cord!”

Another life upon the Earth,

Decision of the Lord.

It’s great to think of what’s ahead,

The day on which I’m born.

To lie with Momma in her bed

On a sunny morn.

I think they’d be surprised to find,

That everything I hear.

The words they say all reach my mind,

And enter through my ear.

I know that Mom and Dad are poor.

They take a lot of pills.

They carry signs against the war,

And any cause that kills.

Mom and Dad sure like to yell.

The scream of each mistake.

Like when my mom would use a “Pill,”

And the one she forgot to take.

We’re sitting in the doctor’s place.

I’m what they’ve talked about.

I feel the pride upon my face.

They want to take me out.

I bet they think I’m really great.

They want to take a look.

I know that’s why they just can’t wait

To take me from my nook.

I don’t know what “abortion” means.

My mother said it twice.

But when it’s said, it surely seems

It isn’t very nice.

We’re lying on the doctor’s table,

Waiting for the knife.

Soon, I know, I will be able

To lead a happy life.

Mommy says her doctor’s best.

He makes the right decisions,

Then he puts my mom to rest,

And makes his first incisions.

Now the doctor’s touching me.

He grabs me with his tools,

He almost breaks my little knee,

With his careless pulls.

He grabs me by a single arm!

Is this man insane?

I want my mother, not this harm,

This crime, this sin, this pain.

Where’s my mother? Where’s my father?

Where’s a loving friend?

Am I such an awful bother,

To earn this early end?

Can’t you give a little love?

Can you only hate?

I thought that only God above,

Decided on my fate.

Life after death, an ancient belief,

But death before life is new.

My story, I hope, has created some grief.

I hope it’s changed your view.

Written while Jerry was in high school.

There's a humorous story associated with this serious poem. Jerry and friends were in the in the crowded high school cafeteria. He handed the poem to some girl he knew to read. Half way through it, she shrieked out,"Jerry - You're not going to have that baby aborted are you???" The cafeteria suddenly got deathly quiet with everyone looking at Jerry. He held up the piece of paper, pointed to it so everyone could see, and said "It's just a poem." Boy, did that girl turn red-faced!