irreplaceable

let me be irreplaceable for this stolen moment

and ignore even the sacred routines that get me through

let me sit here with your little hand on my chest

let me look at you while you are tiny and see God drawing your hair on with colored pencils

let me hear you sigh as you surrender to sleep and feel you relax against me

my noisy thoughts have no place here, go away bad dreams

butter biscuits, that’s your morning smell after a night of cuddling and nursing

you make me hungry for cast iron breakfasts and Mamaw’s sugared coffee

or coin sized ugly biscuits made from Bisquick with chocolate and salty ham

let me consume this moment even as time plays tug of war, our time together suspended from the ropes

and thank God

someday you will be irreplaceable to little hands

and I will be your ghost