The baby was 8 inches long.
The baby will always be
8 inches long. The mother
held the baby by cupping
her hands together, as if
she was catching rain water
in her palms. The mother
wishes she would’ve held
the baby like a baby,
by cradling the baby
in the crook of her arm.
The father held the baby
after, and will never forget
how cold the baby was
when he gave her back
to the nurse. At home,
the mother holds a pillow.
Sometimes she still feels
pregnant, and sometimes
it seems like she never was.
The baby was 8 inches long.
The baby will always be
8 inches long.