The Dreaded Question

Yesterday I was asked the dreaded question, "How many kids do you have?" I hate that question. I usually stop and think, have or had? Many Babylost moms feel especially hurt by this question, I know I'm not alone. Saying (in my case) "three" makes my heart break and I feel a small ache in my side for several hours after the conversation. I feel so sad and scared that my baby girl is being neglected. Saying, "four" has, obviously, it's own problems. I certainly don't want the other person to feel badly for bringing it up. And sometimes, you can see in their face, a huge...I don't know, almost annoyance for counting the missing baby. Like they are thinking, Man! She isn't over that yet?? So I'm not sure why I answered so fast or why the answer came to me so quickly. But I wrote a little poem for it, just in case people are still reading my blog and still taking National Poetry Month at all seriously.


Most people think I told a lie
They think I was playing a trick
She asked how many kids I have
And the answer came out too quick

Four, I said, without a blink
But then, of course, I stopped
The conversation kept right on
Nobody gave it a thought

It stuck with me for the rest of the day
And on right through the night
I do have four kids, this I know
I just keep one tucked out of sight