Hush Little Baby

Baby, tiny as a handful

You fit so neatly in the palms of my hands
Doe eyes, porcelain skin and silken strands on your marshmallow top
That I admire each golden morning as it glistens near the rising tributary
Your eyes melt into the rippling water and glisten when the shoreline touches your delicate ankles

Between the fall of the moon and the rise of the sun
You effortlessly slid through my freckled arms and crawled somniferously to the ascending bank
Small body in a trance, curiosity glowing like the moonlight on your tender skin
And as I lay sleeping, dreaming of your warm breath on the curve of my breast
Your body, in rapid gulps, was swallowed by the speeding currents

I heard your weeping call and frantically ran to each corner of the house
Emptiness hung in each room and softly called out to the rising trickle of the river
So I ran to it unaware that my bare feet left droplets of blood on the sharpened twigs that lay fallen on the earth
And despite my rapid movements, I was too late for the river took your faster then it took my breath

Only the deer will see you now
As you travel down the muddy banks of the river
And although the river took you faster then it took my breath
It forgot to take my tears- my tears that are mine to drown in
Falling like waterfalls and causing currents to ride up my crimson-stained feet

I cry in deep torrents and watch the water ride up my shaken body
Engulfing my pores and restricting my limbs
Each tear that crashes around me another reminder that you're sailing further
I cry harder, deeper, stronger and the unrelenting current builds up and takes me away
As it follows the echos of your shaken cries

Now we're both sailing on the platform of our backs
Keep your head above the water for the deer will watch over you
And the water will cradle you and become my freckled arms
Sweet baby, wipe away the tears on your lashes
For I will be there to hum lullabies in your ear soon

© Crystal Ball

Picture credits: 1, 2, 3