The Fourth Day    by  Coral Hull

the heifer cow mourned for three days/
after her first calf was taken/
away to be slaughtered/ alone/
she too has the basic need/ to
protect her child from danger/
all mothers do/ perhaps only
something/ a woman could know/
i see an adult man eating ice-cream/
a milkshake/ & the way he sucks/
cold custard through a straw/
in his 'boyish' way/ he has never
let go/ of post-natal luxuries/
but what can i say?/ on the fourth day/
a mother/ her children/ eating veal
in a café/ i wanted to say/
you murdered my mother/ but
felt confused & alone/ knowing
somewhere/ her udder was
dripping/ with milk/
on the cold earth/
at night

© Coral Hull

from the book 'Hot Collation' pub. Penguin Books