The Oldest Story

by Diane Averill

 
Fir trees under the wind’s power
spin in robin’s-egg blue air
as my daughter contracts, pushes,
contracts. Screams. Pushes.
I am driving fast towards her call.
Gray moves in, blocks my vision.
Rain; then, a silver opening
parts the cloud’s vaginal veil
and for a moment the sun emerges,
a fine sign. The sky is the blue-white of milk.
Remaining clouds rimmed placenta-red.
 
I arrive in the slipping-out time,
hold her in my hands,
body an orb covered in womb-white.
Body that has shed her red, jellyfish home.
First cries are lamb-like.
Next come meows as eyes shut to light,
then open again. Her hands are birds.
Mottled legs kick     Curl     Kick     Curl
as her petal tongue tries out the world’s
will to listen. Then she turns
towards the answering voice
that sang to her in the womb, and she knows that voice.
 
I give her back
as is my daughter’s wish,
give my tiny granddaughter to that voice
echoing from thirty years away.
Again, a cry has split me
as I place this glowing body
turning celestial-pink
into arms strong as fir limbs.
At Laura’s breast lips grasp
the nipple’s ancient wisdom---
and Natalie pulls the universe into her mouth.


* * * * *

Two of Diane Averill's books, Branches Doubled Over With Fruit, published by the University of Florida Press, and Beautiful Obstacles, published by Blue Light Press of Iowa, were finalists for the Oregon Book Award in Poetry. She has been published in many anthologies and literary magazines such as Bloomsbury Review, Calyx, Carolina Quarterly, Clackamas Literary Review, Northwest Review, Mom Egg Review, Poetry Northwest, and Tar River Poetry. She taught English and poetry writing workshops at Clackamas Community College in Oregon.