On A Baby’s Birth (Oh Lucky One)

Who is this for? Parents, grandparents, and families of a newborn

What’s the tone? Lyrical, humorous

When to use it? When a child is born, sent instead of a congratulations card. Could be read out at a baptism, mikvah, amrit, ghusul or other naming, cleansing or welcoming ceremony for a new life.

I phoned up my goddaughter to hear how the birth of her second son had gone and she was so exhausted she couldn’t talk, so she put me on to her husband. He was brilliant. He gave me 15 minutes of the best narrative I could possibly have wanted to write a childbirth poem.

 
Not all of it was publishable, but the truth of the story is preserved here.

Of course, everyone’s childbirth experience is different but to avoid writing a medical horror story, I made the poem upbeat and funny. To be honest, it’s not really about childbirth, but about the amazing family that the baby is born into. I called it the Lucky One because I know he will have a great life with parents like that.