I love cute small things and my baby

would be so cute imagine

its eyes so big so bright its happy

kicking legs its pink bud of mouth

The priest flinched when I handed

back the son of God I’d made

hot with my skin.

The baby of me going out like a light—

sisters’ hands caught mid-gesture

in sharp flight between words

Depression is a stranger

handing her their wedding bouquet.

Confusion blooms outside the heavy church

where she claims the daisies.

She bent down and

put mangoes in her

pockets, moved toward

the canal. The geese were screaming.

dog sniff-sniffing in the rust-worn goldenrod

alert to acorn drop and chickadee.