Baby

As I gaze fondly at it
I ask:
Why, how did you choose
To be born where, when, as who?

What is it about us
as your parents
that made you choose
to leave the endless stretch of infinite cosmic sleep
and once again play
an active role in this existence?

How did you know
What ancestral, racial memories possess you
that you so uncannily resemble us, remind us
of what we are, we were
so that we cannot but be charmed by
and give our all to you?

more than we ever imagined we had
compassion blooming from selfish hearts
unsuspected reserves of energy from our limited physical selves

the smell
the warmth of skin
the alive-ness of being
the unbelievable strength & resilience
concealed in cuddly helplessness