Yellow Mama E zine

Sams

 

by Craig Kirchner

 

Think about the best scene

from your favorite movie.

We’re sitting on a bench in the hall,

the doors to the delivery room fly open,

 

turquoise scrubs with his hands extended

is carefully, but quickly, with a slight wind

behind his back and motion lines,

carrying, displacing the dead air in the corridor,

 

a breath of fresh air, new life,

looked just like her father at birth,

seven pounds of dark hair and eyes

adjusting to the hospital lighting.

 

Clichés you say, breath of fresh air,

Deja-vu, babies all look the same,

no—new—as new as there has ever been

for me, for Dee, any of us.

 

I found out later that the turquoise scrubs,

the co-star in this drama,

the toter of this precious package

was in fact her father, my son.

 

Being so focused on the miracle,

I had just assumed they would

only have allowed a doctor or a nurse

to carry such a profound package.

 

They announced ahead the name

of this new breeze would be Samantha Grace.

I had always, as long as anyone could

remember, called Grandma Dee—Sam.

 

The wonder at that moment was—

is there anyone else, anywhere,

lucky enough to have the two most loved storms

gusting through their lives be named Sam.

 

        Craig Kirchner is retired and living in Jacksonville, FL, because that’s where his granddaughters are. He loves the aesthetics of writing, has a book of poetry, Roomful of Navels, and has been nominated three times for a Pushcart. Craig's writing has been published in Chiron Review, Main Street Rag, The Wise Owl, Yellow Mama, About Place Journal, and dozens of others. He houses 500 books in his office and about 400 poems on a laptop; these words help keep him straight. More about Craig can be found on Bluesky, and there is an interview up at Spillwords.

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        Bernice Holtzman’s paintings and collages have appeared in shows at various venues in Manhattan, including the Back Fence in Greenwich Village, the Producer’s Club, the Black Door Gallery on W. 26th St., and one other place she can’t remember, but it was in a basement, and she was well received. She is the Assistant Art Director for Yellow Mama.