Newborn

by Maureen Hynes

                       Dreams reveal / how much in danger we are
                              −John Wieners, “July 25”

the danger that I would not
recognize her that I could not

keep her the nurse carried
my newborn out of the hospital room

from my bed I called out paint
her baby toe red so I’ll know her

craving certainty she was truly mine
the feeling of cold paint covering

my own toe woke me up
why didn’t I say bring her back

— from Juniper Volume 2, Issue 2