Today, I attended a dear colleague/friend’s baby shower. This made me quite sentimental, and I remembered my own, given by colleagues and friends at school. When people reminded me to write a poem for her, after she read out my (non-poetic) card, I said I would do so. And I did. Right away! (Wish I could say that for everything else I say I’ll do!)
In any case, here it is:
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For Joanna, With Love
As Promised, A Mom-Babe Poem!
©By Vijaya Sundaram
Feb. 28th 2013
Deep within, life is shaping itself
Into a little, magic being,
Perfect, because she’s yours,
Beautiful, because you are bearing her,
Complete in herself, and
Completing you and your true love.
And you, the mother, will watch
And learn how to be a new you.
You’ll count her fingers and toes,
Touch her little nose,
Kiss her cheeks of rose,
As the hours come and go.
You’ll trace the down on her cheeks
While you read Goodnight Moon.
You’ll try every ruse and trick
To lull her to sleep.
Time enough for that!
Her bright eyes will seem to say.
You’ll jerk awake at the least cry,
Or gurgle, or sigh, or changed breath.
Alert, ready to face insomnia,
You’ll nurse and nod wearily,
Actions automatic and altruistic,
While you drown in somnolence.
At three a.m., you’ll unwrap
A popsicle, driven mad by thirst,
Eat a sandwich, with her in your baby-wrap.
Knowing *every breath you take
And every move you make
She’ll be watching you.*
Glaring maniacally at the clock
Rocking the baby in your arms,
You’ll mutter all the rhymes
From all the baby books you have
And your voice will lull you to sleep,
While she smiles at nothing at all.
And she’ll gurgle and wave her arms
Tracking, with attentive eyes,
Those sweet, strange bubbles of light
Which she alone will see.
And then you’ll see with your intent gaze.
The light of all her baby-days.
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(* with apologies to The Police / Sting, for stealing some of Sting’s words there!)