Welcome to the series of Posts from Your Archives and I will be sharing posts from the SECOND six months of 2023 from your archives.
This current series is now closed to submissions but there will be a new series to participate in later in the year.
This is the second post from the archives of poet and author Miriam Hurdle and it is a heartwarming poem in celebration of the birth of her daughter, born very early but who is clearly as much as a warrior as her mother.
Beautiful Tiny Baby
Beautiful Tiny Baby
Seven months of being pregnant,
driving from California to Oregon
for a Christmas family gathering.
“Take breaks more often,” Doctor said.
Still, it was 1,000 miles in distance.
When we arrived, I started the contractions.
Went to the hospital in Salem.
“We have no equipment to care for
premature babies.” Doctor said.
An ambulance took me,
traveled one hour to Portland.
I was holding my baby tight,
praying, telling her, “I love you,”
all the way.
We arrived at the hospital safe and sound,
the contractions seemed to quiet down.
I had a belt on my belly strapped around
to monitor the frequency of contraction.
Not long after I had dinner,
the monitor beeped a warning sound.
Yes, my daughter wanted to come around.
A cesarean section was in order.
“An experimental drug could be
injected into your spinal cord
to mature the baby’s lungs, so
she could breathe on her own;
the effect on you is unknown.” Doctor said.
Without hesitation, I wanted the injection.
It turned out to be a sound decision.
Baby Mercy only needed twelve hours of
respiratory help.
She was tiny and beautiful.
I had her in my arms.
Her eyes followed mine.
My baby had the angel’s guide.
Her birth was years ago,
the vivid memory never gets old.
She started with her tiny feet,
her steps have been directed by
the heavenly Father’s lead.
* Beautiful Tiny Baby was featured on Spillwords.com, December 26, 2018.
Note: This poem is about the unexpected birth of my seven-month premature baby who was born safe and sound on the day after Christmas and my joy and gratefulness for the beautiful baby. The baby is now a wonderful mom with two beautiful daughters.
©Miriam Hurdle
My thanks to Miriam for inviting me to share posts from her archives and I know she would love to hear from you.
Books by Miriam Hurdle
One of the reviews for The Winding Road
Sadly cancer is a disease that touches nearly all of us. Either by being personally afflicted or knowing family and friends with the illness or even worse, losing or tragically lost their lives to it.
It was during a planned operation that Miriam Hurdle’s cancer was discovered by chance, and just in time to possibly give her some chance of survival. In The Winding Road: A Journey of Survival Miriam Hurdle chronicles her battle with a particularly aggressive and dangerous form of cancer, melanoma on the inner organs. Specialists doctors were consulted and a gruelling ‘treatment’ plan was drawn up, and yet her chance of survival was slim – 10-20%.
Although one might expect a book about cancer to be grim, Miriam Hurdle’s is anything but this. There are two streams of narrative throughout the book and both are perfectly interwoven.
The factual details of her life before, during and after the cancer is full of clarity, as well as being exceedingly informative and explanatory. Interspersed are sections in italic which capture her thoughts, emotions and above all her love for her family and friends.
This enduring love for her husband and her daughter as well as the loving care from her friends is paramount and one feels that they helped boost this courageous woman through some of the toughest imaginable treatments. I imagine she lost count of the loving emails and cards she received as well as the meals cooked and delivered with such thought and kindness.
Although I am not a person with outspoken faith I can understand how Faith gave much support and comfort to the author, particularly during the challenging year of treatment; one feels it almost carried her through.
Throughout the writing is fluid and an extra sense of immediacy is achieved by the use of direct speech; the ones between Miriam and her daughter, Mercy, are incredibly emotive.
I am in awe of Miriam’s strength and perseverance during her cancer battle but also in her courage to revisit the year by writing this book. Her title could not be more apt as it was indeed a long and at times torturous ‘winding road’.
I highly recommend this moving, powerful and inspirational book to all interested in both personal cancer experiences as well as to those wishing to clearly understand what cancer patients are going through or perhaps, sadly if one is personally struggling with the disease.
Read the reviews and buy the books:Amazon US – And:Amazon UK – – Goodreads: Miriam Hurdle – Blog: The Showers of Blessings – Twitter: @mhurdle112
About Miriam Hurdle
Miriam Hurdle is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). She published four children’s books at twenty-six years old. Her poetry collection received the Solo “Medalist Winner” for the New Apple Summer eBook Award and achieved bestseller status on Amazon.
Miriam writes poetry, short stories, memoir, and children’s books. She earned a Doctor of Education from the University of La Verne in California. After two years of rehabilitation counseling, fifteen years of public-school teaching and ten years in school district administration, she retired and enjoys life with her husband in southern California, and the visits to her daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughters in Oregon. When not writing, she engages in blogging, gardening, photography, and traveling.
Thanks for dropping in and I hope you will be leaving with some books..
Smorgasbord Blog Magazine 