I
She cries with joy and loneliness
and for the disappointment and guilt
he will feel when he learns
he missed the birth.
An emotional phone call over
a photo session ensures him an image
of her their son and the infant
he cannot hold
to keep him company
until the completion
of his sentence.
II
Unexplained cancellation
of promised day leave
anticipation and anxiety
cause final days to drag.
III
Amid accolades and gifts
they greet each other
with awkward nervousness
when he enters their home
for the first time
and takes his daughter
in his arms:
belated bonding begins.
c. Kathryn Coughran
First published: 1994
In: Family Matters
(Kathryn Andersen)