Somebody Calls

By Anna Bernard

Somebody calls to me.
I answer.
Unborn children lurk behind the veil
bringing their mothers and fathers together
so that they can exist-
so that they can come into the world
and say
somebody calls to me.
They hover, the unborn, near the ceiling
They watch, they listen, they reply,
with or without words
They wait.
Somebody calls to me.
They come
to bring stories only they will be able to tell
Taste guavas and mangoes
Live on houseboats
Chase pigeons and turkeys
Bring water from the river
Stare at bears
Swim from hippos
Hold an ostrich egg
Unravel DNA
Unravel mysteries-
Be the mystery.
Climb the mountain
Write the poem.
Be new eyes to see in new ways
Be new voices to join in an old conversation.
Somebody calls to me.
I answer.