This is the room

This is the room

where I birthed my son,
down on all fours
in animal pain,
as the sire scrolled
his Reddit feed,
and the midwife shook
a spider from her skirt. 

This is the room
that I painted orange,
where I curl and dream
of desert canyons,
then wake to walls that feel
like friends. 

Between these walls,
I finally knew that he would
never see me— 
and that I’ve never
needed him to. 

Still, this is the room where
we thought I would die,
and he crept back in
to check my breathing,
and his fear felt
like a kind
of love. 

This is the room where I
signed the papers, then wrote
vows to myself,
it is the room 
where I am writing this poem,
almost like
another vow. 

When the air gets cold,
spiders return, and
I must make
my peace with them
again and again and again—

but I can insist
they stay
far
from my bed. 

Photo by Jaeson Kim on Unsplash

The Prompt

This poem is an ode of sorts to my bedroom. After writing it, I realized that I’ve probably spent more of my life in this little room than in any other single place. I’ve lived in this house for almost seventeen years now—far longer than anywhere else—and I do both my sleeping and my writing between these orange walls. That’s a lot of hours of my life.

Is there a room that shapes your day? Or that has shaped who you’ve become? Is there a room that you have shaped, altering it into an expression of yourself? For today’s prompt, pick a room—any room that feels noteworthy to you. If you can physically be in that room while writing a poem, great! If not, also great! Travel there in your mind’s eye. Recall it or take it in with all of your senses. Feel the stories held in this room. What poem is kicking around inside of all of that, waiting for you to set it free?

I am so excited to read what you share! I’ll see you in the comments thread.

P.S. Hey, you! Yeah, you. The one who has been wanting to share a poem in the comments but feeling nervous. I get it. Sharing never feels entirely comfortable for me either, and sometimes it’s downright terrifying. But the prevailing rule of this space is kindness, and we will be so grateful to receive whatever you have to offer. No pressure, and no rush. But whenever you’re ready to share, we are ready to wrap your poem in a hug.