Firstborn Child

He bit me once while nursing,
and I bit him back, not hard,
of course, but on his arm. I
can't recall another time he went
out of his way to hurt me,
no thoughtless digs or
payback for not being his idea
of flawless motherhood. We
were companions for a year,
just mostly he and I while
daddy worked and crossed
the sea, and it has never been
like that again. Sometimes I
miss those times, the newness
of a firstborn child held
tightly in the night, rocking
back and forth and singing
songs for no one else but him.



(c) Ellen Gillette, 2013

My firstborn is 36 years old today. We've always had a good time together.Happy birthday, Caleb Edgar Gillette!