First Gift

[Jenny Smith]

First Gift
by Kathryn Kay

You’ll hear lots of talk
about sacrifice
that mothers must make,
but, baby, your dad also pays a steep price
for your tiny sake.
A mother, it takes to make one little life
and so I must give
a part of the woman I know as wife
that you, child, might live.
For I realize there won’t be any more
our world of just two
and part of her heart that’s been mine heretofore
I’m giving to you.

In all of her dreams, now, you’ll have a large share
and in her dear eyes,
the shiningness that I alone could put there,
your smile will surprise.
The hours of boy and girl fun we have known,
your coming immures,
gay hours that always have been mine alone,
from now on are yours.
Don’t think your dad doesn’t know joy will be his,
it’s hard to explain
the intricate way that life’s happiness is
all tangled with pain,
and tho you don’t know yet what I’m speaking of,
your heart understands
that I’m giving part of the woman I love
into your baby hands.

(Practically Apparent © 1944, reprinted with permission)

About the poet:

LDS poetess Kathryn Kay (Kathryn Worsley Pratt) was a popular radio announcer on the KFI radio show Midnight Frolic out of Los Angeles, California, a forerunner of today’s late night television broadcasts, from 1927 to 1930. She was also Associate Editor of “Parade” magazine before it became a Sunday supplement.

Kathryn began writing poetry at age 10 and has had three major poetry books published. Kathryn died in February 2005, but a new book of her poetry has been published with the title Goldfish Privacy and is available wherever LDS books are sold or on the Sheralynn Pratt website.

Read more about Kathryn Kay at her website.

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