Excellent Em*s shopping list as a new and first time mum Shopping list by Caroline M England Acrostic Poetry Contest contest entry Artwork by Lilibug6 at FanArtReview.com

Hattie, Please can you get me:   Extra thick sanitary towels Large muslin squares Pacifier (o+ mths) Milk powder (HIPP organic) Emollient (Vaseline?) Ice cream (Double chocolate) Cabbage (Savoy) Arnica cream Nursing Pads Teats (Avent 0+ mths) Camomile cream (eg Kamillosan) Organic cotton vests (newborn) Pampers Mini (6 – 13lbs)   Em xx  Author Notes Although this is in the form of a shopping list the poem tells a story. There is the acrostic element, however the items on the list also speak of the feelings and emotions of Em as the new mum. Each item has a purpose - some show how young the baby is - hence motherhood is extremely new to her. There is also a tension between some of the items - some are for bottle feeding and some are to help with breast feeding, but show that this is proving a difficult process - I wont go into detail but savoy cabbage has more uses than just as food if you are not familiar with it! The ice cream speaks for itself - who doesnt need something super-indulgent after giving birth? Overall the poem tells the message of a new mum struggling to cope and who may be having to reconsider her ideals of being a mother, once reality starts to dawn, and reflects many mothers feelings, even early on, that maybe they cannot live up to their own expectations of themselves as a mother. I am giving a detailed explanation as I have shared this poem with others - without any explanation - some have loved it and some thought it was complete rubbish! I cant wait to see any responses. Im truly interested so please be as harsh in your reviews as you wish! And I think it might be better classed as flash fiction rather than as a poem - any feedback?

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