For my Youngest Daughter

And suddenly you lay there
Effortless
On my chest
Infinitely soft and warm
A little sticky maybe
Your calm eyes took me in
You’re perfect as you are
I spoke without words
I’m excited
Your bright eyes whispered back
When was the moment that excitement faded?
Let me take that moment by the guts and teach it a lesson
Let me rewrite life into a careless comedy
Let me, my child
Give me your immense Suffering
Pack it in and hand it to me
I will carry it with pleasure
The burden weighs nothing
Compared to that one, truly Unbearable Thing:
Intolerably having to watch you suffer.

Mom