For An Unborn Child

by Michael Grover


Last night a psychic touched me
Rested her head on my chest
Looked up at my surprise & said
Oh your ex had a miscarriage
That was the story that she gave me

I saw you only once in a dream
You were riding in the backseat
Beautiful bi-racial girl
Beautiful curly hair
Beautiful smile
Your mother in the passenger seat
I driving
It was a smooth riding luxury car
We were all happy
Life don't work out that way

Your name was to be Karenthia
From Jean Toomer's “Kane”
The most beautiful girl in town
The one the boys all chased around

Today you would have been eight
Going on nine
We would probably be living
In the ghetto of West Philadelphia
We would worry about you
Walking the streets every day

You died before you ever
Had a chance to live
She told me she had a miscarriage
It was really an abortion
She had to erase
Every trace of me

Today I place flowers on your grave
Somewhere in my head
Today I send this Poem like a prayer
That you were born in a better place
And you are living a happy healthy life
Things would not have been good here
I doubt that life would ever be as smooth
As it was in that dream

Last night a psychic touched me
As she rest her head on my chest
She reminded me of you
It's been years since I've thought of you
No wondering where you would have gone to school
If you would have been a decent person
I cried