Little Gift, you were seven days late

And then took 26 hours to make your debut

Blue, Fussing, and, just plain mad you came,

Perfect . . .

Except . . .

You see, without knowing you are seeing

You touch, without knowing you are touching

You eat without knowing you are eating

You smell, without knowing you are smelling

But, your daddy and I love  you

We find just as you are we need you

Want you, Have you.

Little Gift, you are always happy

Are you trying to say silently that you know

            I’m your mother?

Are you aware that the man with the scratchy face and

            Smile is daddy?

Can you know the arms that hold you with love?

What’s that  you do see? Angels floating by!

            With little hands you reach out . . .

Little Gift, you are in God’s hands and you

            couldn’t be safer

But you know that – Don’t you!

            I KNEW IT!

C. S. Madden

For our first son, Michael

1976