The Nursery

By freeatlast ~

The giraffes look happy enough

As the pair of them, actually repeating pairs of them

Look down at my baby in the glow of the Bible nightlight

The repeating elephants too, out for a cruise on the arks that float on the border up by the ceiling

Noah presides, lots of Noahs, grinning captains:

Those 40 days and nights went fast! Now we are just taking in the sights,

Though it’s all water at this point, at least the sun is out.

Of course it is, up there anyway.

How carefully I stood on the stepladder, working my way around the room and smoothing out the bubbles, making sure everything stuck

Perfection was all I wanted

For my baby to feel safe in her room,

To be safe as the arks filled with chuckling zebras, lions, and cheetahs sailed around her in the sapphire blue water,

But here in the night the water darkens

Churning, heaving

And I wonder about the babies

Only 8, remember? Only 8 allowed.

What about the babies? The others?

What about mine?

The tigers smile, but they won’t make room up there near the sunny ceiling

A flash of a tiny hand in the froth

A tiny foot

And the waters rise around the crib.

I swim to her but I cannot get through the bars