she sleeps,
sweetly.

no worries on
her brow; no
garbage days or
grocery lists;
tanks of gas or

who reminded whom
to do what, where,
when or
why.

she sleeps,
softly.

little toes twitching,
tickling the
palm of my hand.

the smallness of her
back between you
and I; between
mother and father,

between then and
now; her breath
dividing and uniting
us.

each exhale a
celebration.

she sleeps.