The singular movement
of a body
falling
from another body
inaugurates the gap.
And then there is a baby
to photograph
and a photo
to separate out and say
this is what she will look like.
And, as we watch,
she becomes herself.
Meanwhile, we arrange
ourselves in
the surrounding landscape
and scrutinize
fossil skeletons that
just barely resemble
us. I am looking
for instruction.
Once there was a girl
who outgrew
her body, as the cormorant
transcended
the edges of
bird. Once there was a woman
who had a baby
–a girl–
and found herself
beside herself.