Umbilical (Poetry)

They cut the cord — a matter of routine,
that separating with a practised knife
what blood had joined, creating space between
me and you — dividing a shared life.

And ever since, the fear was always there
that others would resent remaining ties,
be jealous of our closeness when compared
to what they’ve known — and all that that implies.

I watched them watch us, knew that someone would
at some stage try to sever every link,
frustrated minds who never understood
those bonds are stronger than they’d like to think.

You may have gone, you may be far from home —
they think they’ve won but distance is no bar —
no use in writing, picking up the phone,
but I send thoughts and love finds where you are.

And sometimes I receive a faint reply
echoing the loss I feel so much,
instinctively, you answer with a sigh —
the cord’s pulled thin but we are still in touch.