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Poetically Yours Ep. 52 - Bath Time is Play Time

Debi Shyne
Kevin Shyne

“Logan’s Bath” was first published in Poetry Breakfast, 11/18/2017.

Welcome to Poetically Yours. Poetically yours showcases poems by northern Illinois poets. This week features Kevin Shyne.

Kevin retired in 2013 and moved with his wife Debi from the Chicago suburbs to Princeton in northern Illinois. Kevin’s poetry explores turning points in the lives of families and friends, as well as the healing power of nature. His poems have been published in The Grey Sparrow Journal, The Lyric, The Road Not Taken and Clementine Unbound.

His grandson inspired today’s poem, “Logan’s Bath.”

Logan, 14 months, stands beside his mother on her knees.

Swishing with her hand, she tests the water in the tub,

fiddles with the faucet and finds the perfect mix.

Leaning in, belly pressed to porcelain,

amazed by water gushing from the spout,

Logan slaps above the waterline in pure delight.

His perfect fingers break the silver skin,

dipping deeper in, he sees his submerged arms

refracted to the right.

He makes a fist and laughs

discovering that water can’t be squished

but it will bend the light.

How little does he comprehend

of optical illusions

of volume that his hand displaces

of pipes and drains

of stains dissolved in aqueous solution

of rites of absolution

of faith in God’s reunion when we rise

of immersion in the meanings water comes to symbolize

My daughter lifts him up and in.

He splashes, kicks, his eyes go wide.

He has no words to analyze or name

this wondrous stuff.

His laughter is enough.

Standing in the open door,

I watch and realize

I’d give the world to see the water gush

through Logan’s eyes.

· Yvonne Boose is a current corps member for Report for America, an initiative of the GroundTruth Project. It's a national service program that places talented journalists in local newsrooms like WNIJ. You can learn more about Report for America at wnij.org.