GLENDA BARRETT
After I grieved
the empty nest twice,
my body signalled the end
of my childbearing days.
My life changed from
diaper days, lost sleep,
chicken pox, and measles
to night sweats and mood swings.
Who am I now? I wondered.
It had always been about others.
Now, I was forced to take my turn.
I began to nurture my tired body
and it soaked it up like a sponge.
Before long, everything changed.
For the first time in thirty years,
I found myself saying these words,
I’ll be in charge of my life now.