Mother Slug: 1977_Ink_Drawing by Carol Hershey

1977_Ink_Drawing_Poem by Betina Hershey Russo

She holds up her egg,
Her greatest work, gazing
With a serene eye.
Spectacularly smooth and white,
It waits while she wonders
If she's given it just enough
Warmth, just enough motion,
Just enough of herself
For it to finally rumble and
Crack.
There are so many days
Ahead of the little bugger inside,
So many mouthfuls of air and earth.
She wants to set it gently down
And dance a slow jig.
She wants to sing "Once I was afraid,
I was petrified."
She gazes, wondering, at the
Simple, complex, intriguing
Egg
Her very own egg
That will someday walk away,
Most likely
Singing.