Small Enough to Carry
Two in the morning, ten weeks early They had him under a light in a box I wasn't halfway across the room yet And he opened his eyes Nobody told him I was coming Nobody had to The whole of him fit in one hand Thirty weeks. Two in the morning He was small enough to carry So I carried him Down the hall, up on my shoulders, out through the yard Anywhere he wanted to go Small enough to carry So I did I used to put the classical on Played it through her belly before he had a name Kept it on for naps that whole first year He'd go down in four bars And the smell of him I couldn't tell you and I ain't gonna try Bottle at three in the morning Her, then me, then her Two years old and up on my shoulders Both his hands in my hair Sat him in that high chair and juggled whatever was on the tray Apple, orange, half a banana Laughed till he couldn't get a breath Face red, arms going I'd drop one on purpose Just to hear it again He was small enough to carry So I carried him Down the hall, up on my shoulders, out through the yard Anywhere he wanted to go Small enough to carry So I did Six years old, lights out, story done He said, I don't want you to die I said that's a long way off Not till you're grown, not till I'm old He said okay And he went to sleep There was a last time I picked him up I don't know when it was Seven, I think I set him down and went and did something else Nobody comes and tells you That was the last one He was small enough to carry So I carried him Down the hall, up on my shoulders, out through the yard Anywhere he wanted to go Small enough to carry So I did
