Love Poem: What's In His Belly?
Barbara Cotter Avatar
Written by: Barbara Cotter

What's In His Belly?

I’ll be better in a minute,
let the cool breeze caress
my cheek, and the sunrise
arrest my attention, even
the littered city streets

are a consolation.
I’ll be better soon,
better than before.
I’ll be a lion’s cub
born from a doe.

Riding the city bus,
I think, it wasn’t him or I, 
or any one in particular,
but all mankind,
the way of the world.

I was a doe when I met him,
but he ripped open my belly
and there was a lion’s cub
inside the womb.  The doe
died.  I am greatful.

ii

The lion’s cub wanders
the woods learning to hunt,
stalking a frog or rabbit;
someday the lionness
will stalk a man

with graceful strides,
carrying a long knife,
but a lionness is not tame
like a doe.  Maybe we’ll see
what’s in his belly?