from A Time to Be Born

i've been waiting for you now
no more wondering about me---
whether or not this miracle of life
would ever happen inside me


now i can wonder about you--
about what color threads
He's weaving you with


brown eyes or blue
will you like to swim or draw
bake bread or engineer buildings
will you throw your head back
and laugh hard
or just grin


i don't know
i don't know


but i do know that i will
love to hear you call my name
i will love to feel your tiny
hand in mine
i will love to watch your tummy
rise and fall
in sweet sleep


and i know that sometimes you
will hate me
sometimes you will shrink from
my touch
sometimes your fevered breathing
will rattle my soul
in the dark night


but until then
please baby grow strong
take all you can from me please


until then
i'll be waiting for you


~Julie Martin