i'd like to renegotiate my terms of departure from the womb

it all started out sweet enough

then things got weird

and downright scary

then we were all supposed to be "gentle". whatever that means.

then the head tilt. my mom and i, we know this look.
it's my brother's "oh-that's-right-he's-not-a-doll-
but-can-i-still-squeeze-him-
and-poke-at-his-eyes-
really-
i'm-not-doing-anything-wrong-
i'm just loving-him" tilt