Rocking Anna to Sleep

by Judson Mitcham

from Somewhere in Ecclesiastes: Poems

                                          It was almost sorrow, what I used to know

                                          as a child, not wanting to drift off, 

                                          hearing the even, deep breaths 

                                          of my brother, to whom

                                          everything was lost:  the cracked door's

                                          line of pure light climbing the wall, 

                                          far down Church Street, a solitary bark

                                          catching on, even the cool pillow, 

                                          its familiar smell.

                                                                     The small breaths

                                          of the girl failing in my arms

                                          grow slower and deep.

                                          She trails this worn blue nylon nightgown

                                          all over the house.  She loves

                                          the feel of one button.  But I know 

                                          if I lifted her hand, 

                                          it would easily open and fall back

                                          free as a raindrop.

                                                                       The rocker's soft 

                                          creak keeps time.  I let it die.

                                          And perhaps she's startled by the change

                                          or has gone so far in her dreams, 

                                          she can say--by tightening her grip 

                                          when I pull at the gown--you are wrong

                                          if you think there is nothing in the world

                                          you can always hold.