and another of the baby poems

GARTH’S LULLABY

The simplest of nouns

feed you now, a world

of yellow sun & blue sky.

You are my primary

color

I carry you, find you

to balance at

one bucket of seed, gold

wheat bag, an armload of fire

wood in wet weather

Under the plum trees

you will learn walking

& the snails bring their houses

for visits, & the sparrows all be

royalty, with bright crowns

We will have waltzes in the garden

& the river bring red sand

& blue feathers: soft feet

the wind will teach you polkas

while you sleep.

yes, another one. This one came out in George Hitchcock's kayak. The last line in the first stanza originally read primary/easy rainbow and I think I like the rhythm of that better, but George liked color best and for once--usually I fiercely resisted and resist editorial advice--I agreed. I go back and forth. I was so struck, with my first child, by those soft, soft feet that had never touched ground.