Precious

 The young man

tries to take a picture of his wife,

slumped in bed,

the bed pushed up against the window 

for sunlight,

white net curtains sway, 

dollops of sunshine roll down her back,

like molten gold rolls of candy floss!

Her faded frock, 

falls off a shoulder, 

exposing a variegated breast, 

swollen, 

the nipple and the areola,

red from constant suckling. 

She looks up at the camera, 

grinning in relief, 

a tiny baby sleeps in her lap, 

wrapped in tattered layers of loving warmth. 

Stretch marks shine on her tender skin,

like water marks etched on a sandy shore,

by a receding tide! 

A seagull flaps his

wings outside, 

the ocean hits the shore, 

a giant waves crashes

against the rocks, 

a gust of sea breeze rushes in, 

the girl licks her lips dry.

He looks at the woman, 

and then at the child, 

and then at the woman again.

His heart swells up with pride.

'Precious', he thinks, 

'too precious!'

He puts the camera away.