The mother & child
reunion, is only
a moment away
—Paul Simon
It began as mere
haiku:
Scar in my center
Folded skin denoting loss
Birth’s disconnection
Surely one-and-done
but then you showed me
yours—Parisian, 19th-
century velvet, bordered
with a curving chord of
wood along the top, winding
down its arms and to its
legs, more than enough
for two;
but all I saw were the
navels on which our backs
would come to rest, belly-
buttons galore,
all of which looked
alike, as if made
to hold a dime,
a mother & son
recollection,
you and I
untethered
in this moment
of our breath,
throbbing in its
middle
thump-by-thump.
Andreas Gripp
February 24, 2025
Andreas Gripp
Comments