Date Of Birth

Labor: Twelve Weeks Early

We gather around Jennifer's belly,
are grateful she is still incubating.
A family wicker baby basket
waits in the sunroom
woven with blue satin ribbon
and a bow bigger than a basketball.
The pillow proclaims “Precious boy.”
A baby monitor, bottles, nipples,
three pacifiers, blue car seat,
blue plaid stroller,
crib sheets with smiling clowns,
thermometer, jumperoo,
blue bags with string ties, sleepers,
undershirts, diapers, night light,
Nike tennis shoes: size 0,
silver cup, football,
and a teddy bear wait.
A mobile of zoo animals floats
suspended above his crib
ready to sing “It’s a Small World.”
We clench our fists and hope
the wait is long enough.