The Visit

Holding my friend's
inky-eyed newborn
gliding back-forth, back-forth
in their hospital room
all their loved ones around
remarking on the wonder
of him
who he looks like
all that hair!
how quiet, how alert, how good
I didn't really care
I looked at him
he at me
and I whispered
those are not the things
that excite me about you
the truth is
you thrill me
because
you remind me
of these things:

I can do it myself
I graduated
I got in
I passed
I took it
I quit
I took it
She said yes
They accepted the offer
I did it myself
Its a boy
Its a girl
Its a Labradoodle
They caught it early
They got it all
I was with her
I was with him
I made it just in time
I never
I always
I know now
I understand
I believe
I will
I have
I am

He gazed
unimpressed and
unblinking
at me
the way newborns do
Fine
I said
as quietly
as I could
so his
very earnest parents
would not overhear
do your own thing
and skip some of
or all of
the first parts
if you must
but just
trust me
you little thrill-seeker
not the last ones.