Bath Time

Caleb liked the tub enough that
I expected him to like the ocean.
Holding my hand, we walked across the sand.

When the quarter inch of water
From the very edge of a tiny wave
Ran up on his feet,
He cried out in a loud voice,
His whole body quivered,
And he clung to me.

The sound of the ocean,
For days after, made him cry
And shake in my arms
Until he fell asleep as fast as he could.

And as sad as this story is,
I wonder if his loud cry and trembling
Was actually the right response
To the terror and wonder
Of water running uphill,
Wetting what was dry,
A tiny edge of force from immensity.

For today, I am just happy
He finally squatted in the tub again
Of his own volition.
Maybe in four more months,
The trauma of the moment will have passed
And he will actually sit down.