A Fable

(Louise Glűck, poet laureate, 2003-2004; and special

bicentennial consultant in poetry, 1999-2000, with

Rita Dove and W. S. Merwin)

A FABLE

Louise Gluck Two women with

the same claim
came to the feet of
the wise king. Two women,
but only one baby.
The king knew
someone was lying.
What he said was
Let the child be
cut in half; that way
no one will go
empty-handed. He
drew his sword.
Then, of the two
women, one
renounced her share:
this was
the sign, the lesson.
Suppose
you saw your mother
torn between two daughters:
what could you do
to save her but be
willing to destroy
yourself — she would know
who was the rightful child,
the one who couldn’t bear
to divide the mother.

~ Louise Glűck, born 1943, American poet and essayist