Maternity Leave

a thousand loves preceded this
and none of them knew

about you. leather pouch
next to airpod, i say

this was made before you
were even invented. little one, big

next to me. most words are too slow
for movement: what we call

choice, whatever comes
after. you were born,

a blanket was made,
a life became

another life. a name became
another vocabulary.

saying, i’m loving you, girl
as you hug me on your hind legs

don’t worrying, girl when i start to
believe you are right. i’d thought for certain

changing was over, fate
since disrupted, choice having

become, became. but then you
were born, and made making

real: her hand on her hand
on your fuzzyfruit head.

before you were born, i said
something else. now

we are going, girl.
worrying, walkeding.

and when each day ends,
and nothing is done,

i’m watching you, girl,
in your middle of sleep.