There was a mother. She had a child. She loved her life.

There was a mother. She raised a child. She loved her life.

There was a mother. She bore a child. She bore a second child. She held the first child, and she
held the second child. She watched them grow. She loved her life.

There was a mother. She was shucked like an oyster. She loved her life.

There was a mother. She dug in the earth. She washed little feet. She braided hair. She cupped
small faces in her palms. She packed snacks. She loved her life.

There was a mother. She worked. She loved her life.

There was a mother. She was tired. She loved her life.

There was a mother. She woke up. She loved her life.

There was a mother. She was bored at the playground. She loved her life.

There was a mother. She had children. She gave them the ripest fruit, leaving none for herself.
She loved her life.

There was a mother. She had children. She re-drew herself. She loved her life.

There was a mother. She was carried forward like sand. She loved her life.

There was a mother. She had a child. She loved her life.

There was a mother. She did back-of-the envelope calculations. She loved her life.

There was a mother. She filled out forms. She loved her life.

There was a mother. She glinted like the ocean. She loved her life.

There was a mother. She surfaced like wood. She loved her life.

There was a mother. They were wrong. She loved her life.

There was a mother.

A mother.

A mother.

A mother.

A mother.

A mother.

She loved her life.

Once, you had gills 
and lived in the water 

of my body. While I 
planned for you, put 

sugar in a dish to attract 
all that’s sweet, sang 

along with Billie Holiday 
so you’d know sway. 

But you were already 
poetry, the meter  

of my heart in harmony 
with yours, their iambic 

fits and the pentameter  
of my gait, my sleeping 

breath. Oh, to keep  
you there, steady 

beat of life and coming 
to know the power 

of opening your eyes. 
Each day now I soothe 

your skin with peony 
cream where it grows 

coarser by the day,  
I shield the summer  

sun from your eyes 
and blow your tender 

head where it’s become 
wet from the heat, I teach 

you to keep yourself 
buoyant on the waves 

so one day you can find  
and thrive in the sea again.