ONE BABY BOY

It seemed like it was all about one little boy

Held fast to the chest, rocked in the rhythm of tender and joy.

Ten fingers and ten toes moving to the giggle and flail.

Just one baby boy all new  and sparkling,

Smelling like morning dew and Spring rising.

Soft as pony’s nose or the inside of a puppy’s ear.

Yawning for sleep in the early evening

Sobbing to be held in the wee hours of the morning.

It seemed like it was all about him

This mourning of his life taken

Nearly two decades later on the side

Of a New Hampshire road

A Police bullet through his neck

Covered in a white sheet on the side of road

A cradle of asphalt and rebel gravel

Soft and limp, breath-less, broken

Even in the not seeing I can see him there

Urging my inner vision to gather another memory

Of his baby self all new and wanting

Helpless and needy in that crib, shimmering.

Picking all that hungry life up

Gathering him to my open heart

Cooing and smiling at his magnificence

~

Sobbing for the loss of him

Sobbing for the loss of Orlando

Sobbing for the insanity of suicide bombers

Sobbing for the whole planet and all of us

Held hostage to fear and righteousness

It seemed like it was all about this one baby boy

When giving all my unshed tears to him

Might some how free up space to weep for the world

Weep for all those that I now gather to my heart

I let it all matter, ALL of it

It all matters starting with one

sweet, new baby boy.

Rest in peace.

copyrite .. jadwani