Maria Vidal Valdespino

Teen Mother

Emmanuelle Christie

when Hashem passed over Horeb, Moses shone bright and terrible beneath his hand. Mary, nineteen and Nazarene, was mighty enough to labour God. yet her face is plain.

I have seen her face in the marketplace: her fngers rouged with henna, poring over olives. she will mash chickpeas, pound harissa. when Hashem covered her, she held the fear inside of her until it bloomed. she laboured with God until they bled. God tore her open. they wailed together at the injustice of it all.

God slid into the midwife’s arms between raw knees. Mary, nineteen and Nazarene, scrubbed ichor from his cheeks.

she flled his mouth with milk.

God sucked a woman’s breast and saw that it was good.

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