when you were born

   the sky reflected in your face, tinted rose

   like a blessing, rose like a way of saying

             thank god you're here

someone must have painted your eyes

with all the colors of the wind-

eyes like dawn,

like copper and october sun.

you were made of soft clay and

    heartbeats

too quick to count on one hand, 

immeasurable.

from your first breath of life, 

first contact with this world,

you were made with the

     ocean flowing

          between

your hands, shaping the way waves break

against the coast-

sand coating your arms like sweet

  cinnamon

as you laughed-