[Late Winter Day]    [Essentials]

Late Winter Day

Three ducks glide
in clear circles on the frosted pond,
silently crossing reflections of sky.
Leaning branches, heavy with melting,
splink and splatter,
ring with laughter of
two mittened girls
in the snow.
I hush them and we watch.
The birds circle for a moment more
then suddenly,
in unison, they fly
and are gone.
Not once wondering
how to be themselves in the world.

Essentials
--for Maeve

The snow swirled against dark panes
for hours
While you came.
Your mother softening, groaning, pushing.
A growing circle,
wet and dark, appeared.
Then you complete.

A mystery, coming like that
as we all do
taking eager breaths
ready for milk.

*

From your father's arms
you've begun to know
that smiling faces come and go
The sound of wind,
its cool breath
on this mountain.

And at the wedding party you sat
secure in
Romeo's large hands
Holding court,
the two of you.

*

And now,
spring insists on coming.
Indian plum, wild current, strawberry blossom.

Romeo noticed the erythronium blooming
on his last trip to the doctor.
And while he was still speaking,
it was essentials.
The right kind of prunes.
His mother's malted milks.
The comet outside his window.

A mystery, letting go
as we all must.
And your baby laughter
helps us
as it rings through the vacant air.

Copyright @2000 Mary Morgan