Shakin Baby

I called Kathy with despair in my voice,

“Come take this baby from me,”

Something bad is going to happen.

 

I described to her earlier events,

The nameless child, no more than 9 months, but talking and with knowledge, was here.

Maybe mine, but if not, under my care,

and somehow driving me crazy.

 

Well fed, I pleaded for good behavior;

Her response spat despising words … shaking my core,

Rising fear and hatred from a place in me

I didn’t think existed anymore,

some unknown, violent un-slept volcano.

 

 

I wanted to shake her, hurt her, more than anything in years.

She felt it and smiled back, gleefully, knowing her fate.

Putting her down, disappointment rang out silently

 and I called Kathy immediately.

 

We met on the mountain, two lonely cars in a winter lot.

I ran to her with baby in arms; pleading with her “take the child”.

With none of her own, or husband at all, she argued … at first,

then understood, rejecting the child would destroy my soul.

 

She held the child, complained about her plight,

And drove faithfully off, complete with baby,

leaving only snow filled, happy tracks of memories to come.

 

Then alone on the hill, I awoke, to write this event, 

Turning the cross that had moved to the back of my neck forward again.

 And face my new day.