NURSERY RHYME
Babies are like us
except when they smile.
Their eyes are so clear;
they can see everything we have forgotten.
At first they have nothing to say.
We draw their attention
away from holy light
to clocks and alphabets.
Words like parallelogram
make them laugh.
They can't tell time from applesauce,
yet they store words
with smooth stones and skinned knees.
No one really knows where they come from
or where they go.
They would put the sun
in their mouths
if they could reach that high.
Not knowing who we are,
still they trust us.
We impress them
with our brave words,
our clever clocks.
(1982 -- 32 years old)
