your little hands and little feet
came to us early in the morning
and your little voice rose out
into the air when we first met you
out here, out in the world
purple and small
delicate
you cupped your mother's bosom
and you grew and grew
into our lives
an alabaster face
with small rosy lips
smiling every time you see us
us
wondering where you've been
all this time
little one
and how have we gone so long without you?
we moved house and made you a room
and your bed is near our bed
but you sleep with us sometimes
and i always feel happy to turn and see you there
one little hand on my arm
the other little hand on your mother's
your little eyes closed, and that sweet little baby breath
i could feel on my eyelashes
when we wake we wake together
and we smile and laugh
as i read your books
and your mother prepares your clothes
and we eat together
as the day moves from cool crisp morning
to the hot summer noon
and into evening
and back into sweet night
us three
us three
so lonely sometimes
and not everything is happy and good sometimes
and there will be bad days sometimes
time keeps this world a-tumble
sometimes you have to reach deep
to keep it all together
and sometimes the tears will well up
deep inside us
all of us
three
and the world will crush and crowd us
you her and me
but i hear you wake now
and your little voice calls out now
and your mother makes her sweet
stretching yawning sounds now
and the coffee is ready
and the sun is out
the world is still slow and lazy now
and the room, the house
is so cool and simple and still now
now is the time
now is the time
when the world belongs only
to us three.
