Thursday, April 7, 2011

Fingerprince


Petal smooth and shifting you
reach your rolling neck
and roll your reaching arm,
a pure and perfect smile;

Your knees may scrape
your arms may bruise
someday you’ll love
something you lose
My whispers curl along
your small ear and fair-haired you
kick out and are still,
filling up canyons with
murmurs and gasps…
Your head may bump
your tummy hurt
someday two tears
will streak the dirt
Sleep with the peace of prayer,
wake with the awe of stars,
your fingers
fall open
like spring;

I never knew hope
I never knew fear
I never knew what
ferocity was
until

You will lose some
innocence
You will leave some
fingerprints

How can I say
you came from me
when you’re more than
I knew
could be?


[first posted on Flash Fiction a while back.]

5 comments:

Aniket Thakkar said...

That prompt did bring out some amazing pieces. It still a treat to re-read it again here.
Not in those exact words but -

"I never knew hope
I never knew fear
I never knew what
ferocity was
until"

is something I've heard my mom say to us when she feels a little mushy. There are many a times she does. :)

Holding my 6 day old niece in my arms is one of the most exciting memories that I have. There's nothing quite like the feeling to hold a new-born. I can only imagine how it must feel, when the new-born is your own flesh and blood.

This truly was special.

Anonymous said...

How moving! The first memory I have is that of my little brother smiling at me, when he was tiny... 48 hours old. I was 4.

I am going to show him this poem tomorrow and then hug him. I missed reading your poems while you were gone :) Thank you.

Kits said...

Lovely piece J!

joaquin carvel said...

aniket - yes, it did. and babies and mushy make one of those classic combos - like mac and cheese, but cuter. thank you - and thanks for the prompt. :)

swati - thank you - that comment made my day. and thanks again - i missed reading everyone else too.

kits - thank you!

Scarlet said...

I love the musings of the mother for her child.

The last question is a powerful ending.