Poetry: Changing Diapers

This counts for selen­ite’s “When you see this, post a poem” meme. You’ll just have to be flex­i­ble on the gen­der thing.

Chang­ing Diapers
–Gary Snyder
From Axe Han­dles

How intel­li­gent he looks!
on his back
both feet caught in my one hand
his glance set sideways,
on a giant poster of Geronimo
with a Sharp’s repeat­ing rifle by his knee.

I open, wipe, he does­n’t even notice
nor do I.
Baby legs and knees
toes like lit­tle peas
lit­tle wrin­kles, good-to-eat,
eyes bright, shiny ears
chest swelling draw­ing air,

No trou­ble, friend,
you and me and Geronimo
are men.

Now it’s your turn!