Joshua Keiter

Cringe at history
playing out before our eyes 
while I change diapers

though already full
sometimes she squeaks out some more
now unencumbered 

all that we can do
is clean it up as before 
we thought we were done

there is always more
but when you least expect it 
you’re caught unawares

the remedy in your hands

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