February 1969
A noisy gathering at Ann and Clyde’s
In the midst of the revelry
Katja (my dear wife) said to the group
“I have an announcement”
She blushed a bit
then proceeded to explain
that she was going to have a baby
I was stunned
The first I’d heard
“But you are taking the pill,” I said
“Not for several months,” she replied
“But we never talked about this,” I said
She reminded me I’d suggested
a maternity rider to our insurance
Which was true although
it wasn’t exactly the same
We attended Natural Childbirth classes
and they taught me to help with Katja’s breathing
The fateful day came
We rushed to Christ Hospital
I sat at Katja’s bedside and
said in my most calm voice
“Breathe….breathe….breathe….”
She yelled (uncalmly)
“I am breathing goddammit!”
Minutes later the doctor suggested
it might be best
if I were to wait in the waiting room
Katja was in labor for twenty-six hours
Midway she started yelling out
“It’s my turn, it’s my turn”
But they refused to honor her place in the line
The next day we had a newborn son
Justin or Barnaby? I asked
She had liked Justin
I leaned toward Barnaby
“Justin” his mother said
We were nervous parents
Our new baby had his own room
We’d lie awake at night
listening for his breathing
When we couldn’t hear anything
we’d leap out of bed and tiptoe in
Sure enough, he would be breathing gently
That was nearly a half century ago
Justin now has two kids of his own
Even though they live far away in New Orleans
late at night we still listen
to hear if our young son is
breathing in the next room