cadence / articulation / awake
by Carolyn Canulette
my daughter / reaches out
her pale infant arm
opens up unpracticed fingers
to pluck
lavender speedwells
handling them carefully
furry stems and wobbly heads
she will thread for me / make a crown or necklace
barefoot
spiky / thistle / does not bother / her feet / her toes / pressed / firmly into moist / earth / she squats / bending / her knees /
folding up / the soil / squeezing between her
peculiar toes /
I smile at her
her eyes smile at me
she reaches up / generous and proud and humble / she hangs / the beauty / the gift / around / my neck / I bend / touching
my collar bone / and smiling / I feel / my heart / beat / in the base / of my throat / no longer / behind / my chest / no longer /
the heart / reaching up / to choke me
~
I thank her
she tilts / examining me / for a second / examining her / creation / and mine / in this one
frame
She offers / her hand / her hand / weightless / a single petal / I cradle it / loosely / the rounded / supple tips / of her fingers / soft
and smooth and fleshy and new / the soil / under her nails / her hand / warm / the soil / cool / her hand
so soft
it could slip
through mine
like
velvet
/ her hands
she tucks / one clover / behind / her ear / I bend / slip / each button / of her jacket / in each / tiny slot
fascinated / by light / in her face / the sun / warming / her glossy black head / illuminating / the little / hazel eyes / I see / each
ray / cast out / exploding / from dark / center / two galaxies / suspended / her head
~
I filled up my womb with soil so you could grow
I grew you inside
your hands / reaching out / to touch / electric / the first time / I felt you / my skin / stretched / between us / you / separate / from
the world / hands / rested on / waiting / before you knew / my voice / a reverberation inside /
stem and body and eyes /
all swollen with dew /
you were / awake
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