My Choice

I saw the ultra-sound.
I saw my baby.
They gave me these drugs
To make me forget.
I remember.

I remember the nurses—
The one who liked my monkey socks.
Her little girl liked monkeys.

I remember the operation.
He came in after it was over.
He called me beautiful for the first time—
And for a second I felt like I was.

I remember the grocery store
We stopped at on the way home.
He ate Chinese food—I ate Jell-O.

I remember the mother
Who brought her baby
To McDonalds for a happy meal
That next week. I was working.
The little girl started to cry
And I dropped to the floor.

Shannon Grossman is a second year student at WVC who is interested in forensic criminology. She enjoys writing poetry, which is a new thing for her. She’s been married for eight months and looks to her husband for support.