Gabriel
By Karen Ross
The new parents,
both rabbis,
have dark circles
under their eyes.
Instead of davening
with prayer shawl,
at each sunrise,
they are drowned
in diapers and breast milk.
Or maybe the drowning
in diapers and breast milk
is the prayer.
Their newborn was created in a lab,
with life cells engineered
by white-coated scientists.
The miracle baby is named
for the angel, Gabriel.
They hold their infant wrapped
in a blue blanket
knowing his path will be free
of the defective Jewish
gene they both carry.
You are loved baby Gabriel,
with your flame-red hair
and your robin-blue eyes.
May you settle into the home you were given
knowing you were created by
something more than an accident,
more than a slip
more sacred even than desire.
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