Offspring (Poetry)

They don’t come with accessories —
you have to buy the rattle and the pram —
they’re far from self-sufficient so
you’re left to cope whichever way you can.

No paperwork, no guarantee —
it’s all a gamble — if the product’s flawed
you’re stuck with it for tiresome years —
no come back on the bountiful good Lord.

If you’re lucky — a fat chance —
parenthood might be a dance
almost worth the brave face you put on
from tots to teens they’ll prove a drain
on finance — patience — be a pain
then suddenly, one day you’ll find them gone.

As quickly as they came they’ll go
like visitors who pocked the snow
with footprints — a trail where they’d once been
and strangely, with the house grown quiet
you’ll lie awake for half the night
and feel that tug across the miles between.