Poem: "Never Ask You to Change"
Dec. 24th, 2021 03:53 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ysabetwordsmithThis poem came out of the October 5, 2021 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by prompts from kelkyag, technoshaman, and Anonymous. It also fills the "I would never ask you to change. I like who you are." square in my 10-1-21 card for the Fall Festival Bingo. This poem has been sponsored by Anthony & Shirley Barrette. It belongs to the Steamsmith series.
"Never Ask You to Change"
[September 1, 1840]
Maryam Smith had never
been so nervous in her life,
not even on her wedding day.
She and Charlotte were
going to make a baby.
It was all so exciting --
the whole year had been.
After Aalim and Taysir had
decanted their second son,
Queen Victoria had demanded
that Parliament recognize takwin
as a legitimate means of reproduction
for the purposes of law and inheritance.
The Church had balked over both,
bishops squawking like wet hens.
Queen Victoria had waddled into
the debate wearing a gown that
advertised her heavily pregnant state
and announced that if they wished
to keep being the Church of England,
they could ruddy well learn to respect
Her Majesty's wishes regarding takwin
and the freedoms of the bedchamber
or be replaced by someone who would.
The debate had settled briskly after that,
with the Church acknowledging takwin
and, grudgingly, other sorts of union
beyond the usual husband and wife.
That win had further increased
the scramble toward exowombs,
as people who previously could not
beget children together now had
the blessing of Church and state.
Queen Victoria had promptly gone on
to harangue Parliament about the need
to recognize female heirs as equal to
male heirs, a battle still raging.
"You look nervous," Charlotte said.
"Terrified," Maryam admitted.
"People say that becoming
a parent changes everything.
I want children, but I don't want
to change who I am. I'm not
actually cut out to be a mother."
"I would never ask you to change,"
Charlotte said. "I like who you are."
"I like who you are too," Maryam said.
"I would never ask you to change."
"Perhaps we could hire a nanny, or
better yet a wet-nurse," said Charlotte.
Maryam chuckled. "A wet-nurse,
I think," she said. "Rory has already
started asking around the Irish in
her neighborhood to see whether
anyone might be interested. She says
that someone always has extra milk."
"That's a capital plan," Charlotte said.
Still, by the time they could enter
the takwin chamber, Maryam's nerves
were in shreds and the room itself
was downright crowded with guests.
Maryam's father was there, along
with Charlotte's parents and both of
their respective partners. George
had cried off with some excuse
that nobody really believed.
Aalim and Taysir set up
the exowomb, collected
a few drops of blood, then
mixed alchemical solution
to create a new life.
When the fluid inside
the exowomb changed
from clear to faintly golden,
everyone gave a cheer.
Maryam and Charlotte
clutched each other.
This was really happening.
They were going to be parents.
They were possibly starting
to panic just a little bit.
The barrister presented
the necessary paperwork.
"I affirm that Ruby Rose Smith,
conceived today by takwin, is
the lawful and legitimate heir of
Maryam and Charlotte Smith,"
he intoned. "Please sign here."
Maryam and Charlotte signed,
then their parents as witnesses.
"Congratulations on your
impending parenthood,"
the barrister said, and
shook hands all around.
Maryam and Charlotte
hugged each other again.
Everything was changing,
except the most important things:
They still were who they were,
and they loved each other.
kelkyag, technoshaman, and Anonymous. It also fills the "I would never ask you to change. I like who you are." square in my 10-1-21 card for the Fall Festival Bingo. This poem has been sponsored by Anthony & Shirley Barrette. It belongs to the Steamsmith series."Never Ask You to Change"
[September 1, 1840]
Maryam Smith had never
been so nervous in her life,
not even on her wedding day.
She and Charlotte were
going to make a baby.
It was all so exciting --
the whole year had been.
After Aalim and Taysir had
decanted their second son,
Queen Victoria had demanded
that Parliament recognize takwin
as a legitimate means of reproduction
for the purposes of law and inheritance.
The Church had balked over both,
bishops squawking like wet hens.
Queen Victoria had waddled into
the debate wearing a gown that
advertised her heavily pregnant state
and announced that if they wished
to keep being the Church of England,
they could ruddy well learn to respect
Her Majesty's wishes regarding takwin
and the freedoms of the bedchamber
or be replaced by someone who would.
The debate had settled briskly after that,
with the Church acknowledging takwin
and, grudgingly, other sorts of union
beyond the usual husband and wife.
That win had further increased
the scramble toward exowombs,
as people who previously could not
beget children together now had
the blessing of Church and state.
Queen Victoria had promptly gone on
to harangue Parliament about the need
to recognize female heirs as equal to
male heirs, a battle still raging.
"You look nervous," Charlotte said.
"Terrified," Maryam admitted.
"People say that becoming
a parent changes everything.
I want children, but I don't want
to change who I am. I'm not
actually cut out to be a mother."
"I would never ask you to change,"
Charlotte said. "I like who you are."
"I like who you are too," Maryam said.
"I would never ask you to change."
"Perhaps we could hire a nanny, or
better yet a wet-nurse," said Charlotte.
Maryam chuckled. "A wet-nurse,
I think," she said. "Rory has already
started asking around the Irish in
her neighborhood to see whether
anyone might be interested. She says
that someone always has extra milk."
"That's a capital plan," Charlotte said.
Still, by the time they could enter
the takwin chamber, Maryam's nerves
were in shreds and the room itself
was downright crowded with guests.
Maryam's father was there, along
with Charlotte's parents and both of
their respective partners. George
had cried off with some excuse
that nobody really believed.
Aalim and Taysir set up
the exowomb, collected
a few drops of blood, then
mixed alchemical solution
to create a new life.
When the fluid inside
the exowomb changed
from clear to faintly golden,
everyone gave a cheer.
Maryam and Charlotte
clutched each other.
This was really happening.
They were going to be parents.
They were possibly starting
to panic just a little bit.
The barrister presented
the necessary paperwork.
"I affirm that Ruby Rose Smith,
conceived today by takwin, is
the lawful and legitimate heir of
Maryam and Charlotte Smith,"
he intoned. "Please sign here."
Maryam and Charlotte signed,
then their parents as witnesses.
"Congratulations on your
impending parenthood,"
the barrister said, and
shook hands all around.
Maryam and Charlotte
hugged each other again.
Everything was changing,
except the most important things:
They still were who they were,
and they loved each other.
(no subject)
Date: 2021-12-24 12:33 pm (UTC)...wouldn't the box be able to make babies with 3 or more parents too?
(no subject)
Date: 2021-12-25 02:04 am (UTC)I'd think 3 or more parents would require a *lot* more work, because it wouldn't be a matter of just unzipping the chromosomes and combining them.
Thoughts
Date: 2021-12-25 03:15 am (UTC)Typically, yes. Two female parents have four X chromosomes to offer, of which two will be combined to create the baby.
However, sometimes odd things happen in reproduction. The Y chromosome is smaller than the X and can be simulated if an X chromosome fragments. Slightly more common, some types of intersex people appear female but have XY chromosomes, in which case a lesbian couple might be surprised by a baby boy.
While a male baby is not impossible between two female (or female-seeming) parents, it is highly improbable.
>> ...wouldn't the box be able to make babies with 3 or more parents too? <<
In theory, yes. In practice, I don't believe it has been tried, and it might take more elaborate fiddling around. The current setup simply seems to emulate standard reproduction by taking a copy of one chromosome set from each parent. There are various methods to add extra parents, but I suspect that if you simply dumped extra parents into the same container, you'd get a baby with extra chromosomes, which tends to have undesirable results. Hand-splicing some traits from several people would probably be safer, but more complicated.
Also, extra parents would require Yet! Another! Argument with Parliament. The Queen is so not in the mood for that, and Parliament is secretly terrified that she'll make them listen to another speech about vaginas.
(no subject)
Date: 2021-12-24 08:42 pm (UTC)Are there pieces on the (later stages of) Maryam and Charlotte's courtship, engagement, and/or wedding?
Thoughts
Date: 2021-12-25 03:08 am (UTC)So. Much. This. :D
But at least they have friends and family to rely on for guidance.
>> Are there pieces on the (later stages of) Maryam and Charlotte's courtship, engagement, and/or wedding? <<
Not yet. I have some ideas. If this interests you, by all means prompt for more.