Yes, he had such beautiful feet - and so did she....

I wrapped him once in swaddling clothes
and now I wrap him again in death
I wrapped him special to keep him warm
I wrap him carefully as he takes his last breath
I hold him close
the cloth is too short
his feet will be cold
Oh my God - help me
please!
I've kissed those toes so many times before
I watched him crawl on
wee chubby knees
I've prayed on mine today
bruised and cut
like his face
our blood now mingles again
now
as I hold him
in this final embrace
If only I could cover
his trembling feet
please help me find more cloth
Such long toes
weathered
still so very sweet
his muscles lean - straining
going limp
his wet hair - matted
could someone help me dig the grave
that holds him now
so warm
and find me a scarf
the one
I dropped on the way?
We'll wrap his beautiful feet together and forever in all
men's hearts he'll stay - I promise
you one day they'll cherish
what you tried to say...
I promise you, my son, you'll
live years beyond your time
and all that you've done will be legend
in song
in prose
and in rhyme.
Yes, all mothers will sing
kiss their children's faces as I
kiss yours
and cover their tiny feet with bootkins;
sandals
as they walk the many shores
by many oceans - on grass
and soil
and though they sweat
in the pain of birth
and toil
they'll kiss their sons
all their children
..their fingertips and nose
holding their babes - eternal
Eternal and Delicate
is my
beautiful ROSE
The thorns that have cut my fingers; the thorns that
have crowned your head
each will I pick out carefully
carefully as once
I laid you in your bed!
I fold your hands across your chest
and remember when you waved good-bye
I've wrapped my son
again
carefully
so your feet and hands will stay safe
Dry - safe; from head to toe
dry and warm you'll always
stay
dry - wrapped again in your
'swaddling' shroud
One day from the manger mansion you'll arise....
"...now you can take my
son
away!

I wrote this in March of 1993

-Diane Stirling-Stevens-