Water’s pooling everywhere. A week of summer rain: tomato vines have doubled length and the wood chips are bursting into mushroom. He and I become one pendulum, sweating into one another’s clothes. His sixteen pounds, all belly, brain and bone, lift away from my chest at each inflection. Hot, the tiny head rolls back and forth over my collar. One meaty little fist finds the chain. The rain comes back on pale and sweet, caressing everything– my arms, the naked head beneath my chin, the little girl who throws her face into the spray, eyes closed, singing, I’m in wonderland! The babe falls silent, surrenders to the sway and lift, the sway and lift, the water. His sisters swing beside us, shouting, Look how high! Look how high!
Photo by Christine Renard from Pexels