The Granny Woman’s Note

When serving birth
Summon the womb
Open every window
every door to the house

to the barn to the room
Let them come on through
those cold rains, rot-lonely flies
all the waspers of this world

Tell them now is the time

And when your job is other
when they’ve declared
a body a corpse
Stay up all night

no matter

the hour or ghost
When serving death
again serve birth
Open

every window
every door Draw close
to that chest once filled
with God’s air

And place your mortal ear
there, listen
for what this womb will
invite in you