Baby

I am 21 driving my wife who
Is in labor to the hospital after
Rising at 4 am with her to see the
Blood red moon while our two sons
Ages 5 and 8 sleep in the back seat
As I speed up the steep hill from
The bridge on 15th street and
Sail into the air through the
The green stoplight at the
Top of the hill then touch
Down on the downward
Slope braking to turn
North up Rio Grande
Street to the old
Seton hospital
West of the
Campus at
UT.
She is
In labor
For 9 hours
As my sons sleep
And I sit in the waiting
Room reading A Farewell
To Arms for a literature class
When the doctor comes in to tell
Me my wife is not doing well and
To prepare myself that she may
Die but that they think they
Can save the baby so I go
To the labor room where
She is yelling at the
Nurse that it is
Time which
Is true but
The
Doctor
Is missing
And I find him
In a nearby lavatory
Stall and hasten him to
The delivery room
Where a baby
Boy is born
And the
Tired
Mother
Survives
To face a thyroid
Operation three days
Later but is home
Within a few
Days more
With our
Baby
But
Without
Her Thyroid
Or her doctor
Or the blood-red
Moon we rose
To see days
Before.