Recognition
Luci Shaw
truly who he was? Belly to belly, when
John, prophet in utero, distinguished
in the natal soup the fetal bones, the body
curled like a comma, eyes tight, skull
packed with universal wisdom,
this unborn cousin began to dance.
And when she,
birth-giver—
her ordinary vision arrowing down between
her legs through
pain and straw to her son's dark,
slime-streaked hair, to his very skin, red
with
the struggle of being born—she lifted him
to her breast, kissed
the face of God,
and felt her own heart leap.
Copyright ©2007 Luci Shaw