“Wave Man” by Meredith Mason (original) (raw)

WAVE MAN

The bill sailed through the Senate and House… effectively banning most abortions in the state. —Austin American-Statesman, May 19, 2021

Today I held my son’s hand as we waded into the lake,

strong wind kicking up waves on the shallow water.

“I’m Wave Man,” he said, karate-chopping the swell,

as the foam hit his face and made him sputter,

and I tugged him up so he wouldn’t go under.

Farther out, my talented cousin

was doing something called kite-boarding—

back and forth he traced graceful arcs

across the surface, while high above,

a taut red sail held the wind and pulled him on.

Some say care comes easy to a mother—

go ahead and take it like air.

Tonight, I smoked one cigarette

on the porch of the place I’m house-sitting,

inhaling once like my lungs

are my lungs.

—from Poets Respond
September 7, 2021

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Meredith Mason: “I started writing this poem in May, when Texas passed its near-total ban on abortion, and I finished it this week, as those laws are taking effect.”