Precipitous Birth

Alternate universe in which the birth canal is the portal

The warm liquid gushed out of me and onto the driveway
the family thought I dropped the drinks
we barely had time to fill the birth pool, not enough time to prepare the room
his little head hung between my legs like the pendulum clock

a precipitous birth says the midwife
rare,
the anomaly of a quick birth
is rival only to a quick death

this is how they arrive
heaven is empty, all the bodies end up in this womb
amniotic sac filled with tears
all the mothers mourning somewhere else
calling names that won’t ever answer

just one big push
strength of the coroner's report against four eye witnesses;
media headlines, outstanding warrants
His first breath, quick & shallow
like he had been running for his whole life

Emmet was his name, then it was D’Andre, but call him what you will