Babies cry

In the apartments around mine

But I’ve never seen them

Only their voices define their existence.

I should mind more

Because they are loud

And they start so early

Bundles of high-pitched mastery

Infants on vocalization crack

Who keep baker’s hours.

I wish I understood them

I wish I could be them

So I could cry and cry and cry

Until someone lifted me up

And held me close

And told me everything would be ok.