In Her Blue Eyes: Jessica Poems

Randy & Shirley Brooks

The Wobbly Toddler

nose over the gate at the top of the stairs, "Dada! Dada!"
	seventeen birthday candles smoking in the apple crisp . . . little sister's cough
first deep snow . . . the toddler tumbles over in her snowsuit
	stockings on the mantle . . . the child's eyes follow sparks up the chimney

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snowsuit around one ankle, the toddler whines "I want to go snowing."
	behind Mommy's leg, the toddler peeks up at the tall man's face
toddler stands on the old cat's senseless tail . . . sun soaking in
	garage sale . . . toddler opens her pink purse for a dime
raisins, Cheerios gone . . . we nod its time to take the toddler home

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two year old guides the computer mouse . . . dog barking outside
	phone call home from my hotel room . . . little one's voice in the other room
naked toddler hides in the living room . . . bath water running
	the bong of the handrail . . . two year old's tantrum now tears

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curled up limp against my chest, the toddler's fever, mine
	both big brothers search beneath racks of clothes. no blue dinosaur
tiny black ants . . . two year old stomps a dead one
	the teenager bends over her little bike-- steady, steady . . . letting go
toddler rests her head against my shoulder . . . we dance with no music

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|| title & preface page || pregnant pause || newborn between us || baby's reach ||

|| wobbly toddler || toddler's fish || beach toddler || little girl ||

In Her Blue Eyes: Jessica Poems © 1998 Randy M. Brooks
e-mail comments to the author at: brooksbooks@gmail.com