to my daughter
Of Erin Born
When you were born, all I said,
all I could say
baby, baby, baby
tongue thick with eternity
One little cry and the doctor laid you on my belly,
she came out quick, she didn’t do you any favors
meaning the tear
Did he think I could have waited any longer for you?
You looked at me.
Even the whites of your eyes were blue.
Nurses chatted while the doctor stitched.
One asked me if it hurt. No.
Another said They’re usually too busy to notice at this point.
Then I heard my mother’s curse
Just wait, you’ll have a daughter just like you.
My own voice returned to me
She’s beautiful.
Yeah, I know, anyone can have kids
anyone does
no special requirements
no selection
but all I could think
they let me have you.
They – I don’t know who – God, the
universe, the whole of everything in this
instant – all of us
trusted me with
you.
Everything I know of who I am what I can be
what life is
falls away, and
anything can happen
because you are.