The First Ultrasound

You may not be made from a rib pulled

from my side, but you are indeed,

bone of my bone, flesh of my

flesh. In fact, my very

body is pulsing,

stretching, yielding

for you. Every

hair and

cell

and heartbeat

started with

my own. And I

am in awe that any-

thing so beautiful can

come from my aging, tired

body. While I struggle to climb

hills, one day, I will birth you to scale

mountains in a single breath.

And that’s what I’m going to think about tonight,

amidst the cramping and hunger and tension,

because tomorrow, I get to see you for the very first time.