Maxwell Baumbach’s poem More appeared here in May. His first e-chapbook, Suburban Rhythm was published in September 2010 by Scars Publications in conjunction with cc&d magazine. Look for his amazing first full-length collection to be released in January 2012 by unbound CONTENT.
Careless Mother
By Maxwell Baumbach
By Maxwell Baumbach
I.
I knew a careless mother
of eight children
she lost the first
when she took them
to a movie theater
and one of her children
was not with them
when she left
II.
I knew a careless mother
of eight children
she lost the second
at the grocery store
the young boy sat in her cart
but when she grabbed
a can of high-fructose corn syrup
from the shelf
she turned around
and he was gone
III.
I knew a careless mother
of eight children
she lost the third
when she picked them up
from school in her SUV
a little girl stranded
in the education s
ystem
ystem
but it’s ok
she decided
five out of eight ain’t bad
IV.
I knew a careless mother
of eight children
she lost the fourth
at the mall
in a sea of people
a son swept away
while she was distracted
by a $30 case
for a $300 phone
at least
her phone is protected now
V.
I knew a careless mother
of eight children
she lost the fifth
at the beach
the ocean’s undertow
pulled a daughter by foot
out to No Man’s Land
she always loved the water
mother told the remaining children
VI.
I knew a careless mother
of eight children
she lost the sixth
a son
at the horse track
the smell of money
that might potentially be hers
lured the mother
away from her remaining three
it could have been well worth it
had it paid off
she told her husband
VII.
I knew a careless mother
of eight children
she lost the seventh
during the war
I can’t recall the name
this one was one of many
children lost
in the war
so his name is forgotten
but I think he was the
746th that month
VIII.
I knew a careless mother
of eight children
and here we sit
her last remaining child
looking for excuses
to scrounge up hope
that we won’t go missing
like the others
Very different and intriguing. Fairytale-ish.