you stretched your skin
gave me space to grow
your heartbeat, my first lullaby
I hiccuped, kicked, squirmed
you carried me
your body, my first home

how impossible
how we expand
o u r s e v l e s
for new life
for new love:
one inexplicable until known

you said it was alarming—utterly
to feel the earth shift
so drastically
so beautifully
how someone
so small
could make your heart
so full

you were one
but now
here i am
(yours)

and you
my:

Mor
Ema
Madre
Daya
Ibu
Maman
Mama

Mother
(mine)