Unfathomable
the child I hold in my arms
has fewer rights than
she had when she was
born seven weeks ago now
too late to go back
to when she had more
agency as a fetus—
this future voter
will always know what’s at stake
—And as for the court
the Wordle today is “smite”
Now we’re kinda sure
that facial expression is
not just lots of gas
but a fair amount
of real joy with a bit of
mirror for measure
still can’t quite believe
we made you inasmuch as
you make us know joy
shining back at each other
I could remember
what it was like weeks ago
before all of this
I would be remiss
to mistake nostalgia for
life without your face
before and after
have never been quite so stark
thank god you’re after
I can’t remember before
Everything has changed
See! Sleep at a premium
between sleepless fits
That is a new cry
We have not heard that cry yet
There it is again
What kind of world is
the one this child came into—
time to change our shirts
How can it be that
you are born without language
you interpret us
back to our first face
and we can only respond
the same wordless way
the hint of a smile
that might be more of a smile
than we ever know
so we smile awhile
together we smile we smile
See how it changes
things you never knew before
now know how it feels
Yes indeed we know
Listen to what the man said
The wonder of it all baby
Time game is playing
the same tricks on me again
how much I have seen
is part of the past
I was not alive for then
only recall now
all these years gone by
how much will be a story
I tell to children
shaking heads in disbelief
Checking the channels
Is democracy still there?
Yes it might be yes
All the good advice
sleep when they sleep depends on
if they fall asleep
All day attending
to inexplicable cries
—a lifelong habit
Joshua Keiter