Little Baby New Years

Little Baby New Year,

all swaddled and clean,

sucking on their little thumb,

sleeping gently, even sweetly.

Little Baby New Year,

a serene scene of freshness,

in the maternity ward of

time.

Only five days old and

already the world is coming

for you, to mangle and cheapen

your gentle sleep.

Little Baby New Year,

behind a sheet of glass,

keeping warm and dry,

in temporary peace.

Here comes a nurse for

the evening feeding.

What’s she feeding that kid?

Is that milk?

Doesn’t look like milk,

looks like lava and bilge water

mixed with dirty tea leaves and

morphine.

Little Baby New Year,

starting to resist the bottle,

pushing back a little, but

too weak to really fight.

Little Baby New Year,

too early on the bottle,

never should have left

mom’s teat.