Sitting under the snowbell tree--
Around me the patio covered
With blossoms the color of old bridal veils
The sweet scent rising
I am remembering the birth of my first child
Brought into the world after hours of labor
“Hello Tiny Tim!” said my doctor
And then they bore him away
Not to be given to me until half a day later
And my second baby
Arriving like the whirlwind after induced labor
Laid on my belly as they rolled the gurney
Down the hallway
“Welcome to the world, my daughter”
My blood pressure dropping
And no men allowed those days
Relegated to the waiting rooms
20th Century births
The blossoms fall like gentle rain
I pick one up from my lap
It is as delicate
As lovely
As mysterious
As those babies
Born so many years ago
--Kristin Moyer