DEPARTMENTS

POETRY

24 weeks

by Rita C. Bergevin

Life begins as a nameless dream,
Fragrance of lavender, song of splendor.
Who shall retain the love of another?

Who shall store promises
Like stars or like heaven,
Who shall count heartbeats

And cycle with time, look
Now the night, the Angel
Returning, who shall dream

Life and name its inflections,
Who shall retain the love of another?

 

Rita C. Bergevin

Rita C. Bergevin, RN, MA, BC, is clinical assistant professor at Binghamton University’s Decker School of Nursing in Binghamton, New York, USA.

“My background is in geriatrics,” writes Bergevin, “but a story told to me recently about a woman who delivered her baby at 24 weeks inspired me. The poem is about the responsibility of the woman in relation to the life within her, which begins as “a nameless dream” and progresses to the promise of retaining “the love of another.” The baby was 1 pound when it was born. Both mother and baby are doing well today.”