The Long View, Mary Redman

The Long View

A squalling red-faced infant knows life for what it is sudden intrusion of warm-cold, dark-light, wet-dry, quiet-loud. At first breath, a gasp, a cry she knows the concurrence of opposites. Clear voices speaking in tongues, slippery hands pulling gentle arms pressing head to breast, a sigh, it has begun: asleep-awake.

A rattling grey-faced ancient knows life for what it is sudden intrusion of warm-cold, light-dark, dry-wet, loud-quiet. At last breath, a gasp, a cry she knows the concurrence of opposites. Clear voices speaking in tongues, familiar faces out of focus tear-smeared smiles lips to hands, a sigh, it has ended: awake-asleep. Mary Redman