Birth Poems Celebrate Life’s Miraculous Start – We Explore Why They’re Treasured

Birth poems are written to delve into the profound impact of family planning, pregnancy, and childbirth – and we can help you navigate this unique topic. New life and rearing the young are something seen throughout the natural world. From mother bears protecting their cubs to male seahorses giving birth, brand-new beginnings and unique parenting experiences come standard in nature. It’s a species’ ability to reproduce that keeps it successful, and yet as familiar as birth is for us human beings, it remains a miraculous event. It is so significant for us that pregnancy, birth, and welcoming life into the world have been a central theme of many art forms, including poetry, since humans could first express themselves. If this is a time in your life during which birth poems are a genre that interests you, or if you are expecting a little one in the family soon and want to write a piece of your own, we will help you explore the subject further and offer some insight into its importance.

The Significance of Birth Poems

Any parent knows that bringing a baby into the world is a life-changing event – it’s something that forever transforms the trajectory of a family’s dynamic, lifestyle, and social bonds. The addition of a new baby, or even child through fostering or adoption, is a major upheaval to a family, though it is an exciting event. Birth poems help us express the spectrum of emotions behind these changes and also give us a way to:

• Capture our feelings of gratitude and sense of wonder at a treasured new addition to our growing families.
• Take pride in the heritage from which we come, and have hope for our future lineage.
• Chronicle an event of great significance to our family trees.
• Explore emotions that are sometimes too difficult to express to others around us.

“Always There Are the Children”, a poem by Nikki Giovanni, was written to appreciate children and how their enduring presence in our societies calls us to patient nurturing despite difficulties. A welcoming warmth in old age and a beacon of hope for the future, children are seen as a gift throughout the poem, which aims to remind us that while we do n ot own our children, we owe it to them to pave the way for a brighter tomorrow and teach them to do the same.

The Beautiful and the Challenging

For some, pregnancy and childbirth are times of great joy and celebration; for others, trauma, fear, and stress may be involved. It is also important to recognise that the journey before, during, and after childbirth is different for everyone and, for some families, entails a complex, nuanced experience. While it is essential that we rejoice with the families who are celebrating, we must also empathise and walk a road with those who are struggling. Illness, financial strain, difficulty during labour, and even losing a baby or parent are also significant events for families, and it is during these times that poetry is helpful too. The genre of birth poems does not just cover a happy bundle of joy greeting the world but the real challenges that many mothers, fathers, and guardians must face. In the poem “Before the Birth of One of Her Children”, writer Anne Bradstreet explores the inner life of pregnant women throughout history, who often died during childbirth. Though not as common now, maternal death still occurs and loved ones left behind often have difficulty coming to terms with both the loss and the responsibility of raising a new baby. Bradstreet’s poem explores that while new life is a certainty, continued life is not always guaranteed. Her poem illustrates an expecting mother’s understanding that pregnancy can be life-threatening and her hope that her children will be protected even when she is gone:

“And when thy loss shall be repaid with gains
Look to my little babes, my dear remains.
And if thou love thyself, or loved’st me,
These o protect from step Dames injury.”

Learning to Write Your Own Poetry

If you are interested in writing birth poems, getting ideas on some prompts, or penning a piece about your own experiences, we have a few upcoming online workshops that may assist you. You can also explore our competition’s past entries under the “Birth” theme for some extra inspiration.

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