Labor :the agony of the man
Mom's legs were spread apart
A privilege I thought only I had
Not the pleasure of penetration this time
But the agony of childbirth
How I prayed for it to be all over
Your mother's scream still haunts me
Your birthday I can never forget
Still yet no one asked how I felt
But I will tell you
Nine months after our wedding night
On the same bed your mum wailed
Panic Creepled my whole existence
Her water just broke
Weeks before then
I became a "slave" of love for mama
I became a "slave" for you my child
I did all mama asked even when I couldn't
I didn't know who was scared the most
I didn't know who to pray to
what if I was asked to choose
you or mum, a life for the other
hell I would have given mine
I held her trembling hands
and whispered unsure words
stuffs like it would be OK hun
I had to be strong for you both
I met fear that day
as he made a mockery of the man I was
my heart bleed with an outburst
when mum screamed after the "push" command
Only 5minutes into 7 long hours of labor
I had already became a restless soul
but I did sit quietly
Drowning in my own emotions
Lord how did I become this weak
as tears gathered around my eyes
solace I found nowhere
Because mama's screams where everywhere
I wanted to disappear
Run into the streets, cover my ears
put up a smile and play good music
but this torture was all the music I got
Suddenly I heard a second scream
my child, your cry, my soul's music
a tear drop from my eyes welcomed you
and all I could whisper was" happy birthday "
When I held you in my arms
I became a man again
you gave me all the strength I needed
a torment worth while
PS: physical pain is no equivalent to emotional pain. Men do cry... And the torment is real.
So many people often look down on the trauma the men face while their wives are in Labor, I've seen men commit suicide after loosing his wife and child during labor. Men may not feel the physical pain and hurt that the woman is currently going through, but the emotional turmoil that he is going through can break the bravest and strongest of men.
But then, men have been taught to hide how the feel and never show emotions, because showing of emotions is an equivalent of being weak.
Allow men to feel and feel freely.
