Metamorphosis

She lies in my arms
helpless, yet comforted by
my warmth and touch
suckles at my scarred breast
not knowing or caring
about the mad flight from terror
to save her life
just becoming aware of
her own life
she learns to hold her head up
something I wish I could do
sometimes
rolls herself over front to back
back to front
giggles and coos
even cries (late at night
colic, she sleeps
only in the swing)
I get so tired but
it is all worth it
every moment
She learns to crawl
moving back and forth
I want to help her but
I know that wouldn't really
help her
she must do it on her own
as I did
as I am doing still
She experiments with sounds
making nonsense words
that only she understands
Standing now
on her own two feet
unsteady, rocking
back and forth
falling
getting up again
determined to succeed
crying in frustration
at repeated failure
I understand, little one,
how that feels
From standing to walking
tentative steps
from walking to running
learning balance
learning words that
aren't incomprehensible
to others, but have meaning
they become clearer each day
putting sentences together
she amazes me
she learns so fast
she is independent
she has weaned herself
before she could walk
she will take no pacifier
never has, never will
spits them out immediately
feeds herself (messily)
wants no help
becoming more and more
confident in herself
she has gone from staring raptly
at the television
as her movie plays
to analyzing the characters
finding every minute detail
pointing them all out to me
making sure I know
what color
what shape
how large
how small
the action
the emotion
explains them to me
in ways I have never considered
can it be that she is not yet
turned three years old
and is rivaling her mother
in intelligence?
I think I am going to be
in a lot of trouble
if I don't keep up with her
inquisitive nature
and thirst for knowledge