Joy

Tamara Musgrave

 

Joy is a baby granddaughter born in July,

seven pounds, two ounces of pure bliss with blond hair and blue eyes.

She grows fast.

During a visit, egoless and without clothes, naked Joy sits in a white porcelain tub.

Sitting in just four inches of warm water,

She is twelve months old, just turned.

Chubby little hands hit the water making it splash.

A giggle bursts forth from herself as she hits the water

Once, twice, three times in fast succession.

Both hands playfully slam into the water’s surface, dive down, and rise to do it again.

Little yellow ducks ride the waves.

Little boats in red, green, and yellow tip over and bob up and down.

Joy looks up and bright blue eyes gleam from her smiling face.

Small red lips part and a baby’s happy giggle fills the room.

Her two bottom teeth, her only teeth, stand out against the red of her mouth.

Her laughter is contagious and joy spreads.

Tamara is a UHMC student currently taking English 104, Introduction to Creative Writing, taught by Paul Wood.