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