After Two Years, the Midwife Explains
pre{eclampsia—a condition comparable
to milk fever
in cows and dogs}
which explains
how my blood soared in the days after
as drops of milk rivered
how my fingers blushed and bore
red rings, even after
the silver was cut from my hand
{from the Greek éklampsis,
a violent onset} which explains
the lack of time—
{pre-, as in earlier than}
—the body no longer safe
to hold another’s
which explains three centimeters
to nine {eklámpein,
to burst forth}
the suddenness of dark
to dawn {lámpein,
to shine out}
the bloom of my daughter’s night-
blue eyes bearing so much
light
which might explain, I don’t say,
how the body glows
{even now}
