To Aidan or Molly

The books say you’re the size of an
avocado, and if we could see you
swimming in a warm bath of
amniotic fluid, we’d know if
you’re a boy or a girl. In a month
the doctor will strip away some of
the mystery, but for now we like to
lie in bed and imagine what you’ll
be and give you names like Aidan
or Molly.

And after the talk of names is done
for the night, I’ll skip ahead a few
chapters to see what you’ll look
like nine weeks from now and read
about the changes you’ll undergo
before joining the family of a
writer and a chemist.

But by the time you’re old enough
to read this, I may not be a writer
and your mother may not be a
chemist and your name might not
be Aidan or Molly but Jarom or
Natalie or something that won’t be
a thought in our minds until the
moment you’re born.

– Abel Keogh
12/23/03