Year One

A bit surprised by how intensely
the memories come flooding back—
is this why some stay the same 
age you were when you met them?

The brilliance of sun today resembling 
the euphoria of the drive home 
after days in the hospital whose hours 
remain somewhat unaccounted for

What did we do when we what did we eat 
in those hours when breaths were new 
and awkward cries holding your held 
atoms radically assembled into grateful arms 

Today as the rest of the world wore 
unnecessarily fancy hats you tumbled toward 
the iPad turning over to see the other side 
such familiar faces facing your brightness 

Surely they must be there in the flesh 
magnetically attached to these radiant absences 
how used to living you must be this longest 
first year we could not imagine what we did 

Where we went who we were going to be 
before you suddenly appeared on the other side