Sacrifice

By: Heather Nanni

Sacrifice- a noble act

Giving of oneself for another

Then how is it that sacrifice is such an ugly word

when uttered from the tongue of a mother?

                                                                                                                                           Sacrifice-what a strange word to use

when speaking of those who did not choose

this.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Do I expect you to apologize

for everything I had to compromise?

To shoulder the heavy burden of guilt

because I gave up all I might have built?

Gave up all-for you.

                                                                                                                                               Rest you minds dear ones

For you I sacrificed nothing

                                                                                                                               There is nothing that I have given up

your existence hasn’t repaid tenfold

With you I drank from life’s golden cup

and, my children, I learned what must be told:

                                                                                                                                             There is no sacrifice where love exists

                                                                                                                                                    Life will move along and you will grow

and there will be time for trips and clothes and luxuries supposed

to fill the void of your absence

and I will long for the days when I had only you.

                                                                                                                                                From when I held you in my arms

until you lay me down to rest

there is never, was never sacrifice

only blissful, sorrowful joy.