If I Had A Son

by Alicia Elkort

  

I would have named him
Jeremiah or Asher

a prophet, a blessing—
the only name to bloom

an empty womb,
a name he roots in asphalt

step by step, past liquor
stores & holiday lights.

He cherishes the night
as he walks home,

remembers the way
he was loved, bookmarks

of song & story,
crayons & boy dirt.

Long on compassion,
forgiving & bright

he enchants the city
(not the other way around)

his black sky a warm embrace
over every shuttered building.

He’d never be alone
on any dark corner—

I’d be there, if not in body
then syllable,

a mother who would praise
even his despair.

I wish I had a son.
I would have named him

Jeremiah or Asher,
a prophet, a blessing.

  

  

  

  

Alicia Elkort’s poetry has been published in AGNI, Arsenic Lobster, Black Lawrence Press, Georgia Review, Heron Tree, The Hunger Journal, Jet Fuel Review, Menacing Hedge, Rogue Agent, Stirring: A Literary Collection, Tinderbox Poetry Journal, as well as many others. Her poems have been nominated for the Orisons Anthology (2016), A Best of the Net (2018), and the Pushcart (2017 / 2019), and she placed 3rd in the 2019 Poetry Superhighway contest. Alicia reads for Tinderbox Poetry Journal. For more info or to watch her two video poems: http://aliciaelkort.mystrikingly.com/

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One thought on “If I Had A Son

  1. Anastasia says:

    Beautiful.

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