Paca's Sestina

I can hear a sweet melody playing oh so softly, my lullaby.

The keys of the piano and strings of the violin give me peace,

A quaint sanctuary. I only hear mommy and Paca’s whispers.

Their voices are my music, better than any song or dream.

I gaze up at their faces as I lie in my pink baby blanket.

I’m here with my mother and my grandfather in this radiant light!

“Duchess,” says Paca, smiling as I babble. He lightly

Swoops me up into his arms and softly sings my lullaby.

I fight against my sleepiness but together my blanket

And Paca’s warm arms create the most serene peace.

I surrender and let sleep win. Warm in the wool, I dream

Of cotton-tailed bunnies. In the distance, I hear Paca whisper.

Mommy is crying. Her head is in her hands as she whispers,

“Baby, I’m okay. Papi is going to leave us.” The light

In her is fading. She cries into Paca’s chest. Maybe dreams

Don’t come true. The violins screech and suddenly my lullaby

Shatters. Papi comes in and Paca raises his fist. “Peace,

Peace, Paca, don’t hurt my Papi.” He scoops me up in my blanket.

Paca and I go to the park one Saturday morning and a blanket

Of crystal, clear water stands still and seems to whisper

Its secrets to us as geese swim. The serenity and peace

That washes over us replaces the darkness with light.

Then as geese run towards us, I realize my lullaby,

With Paca holding me close, makes reality my favorite dream.

Soon Paca cannot run or walk. He apologizes for this dream.

But it is his voice, warm like hot cocoa, that blankets

The ugly that he never lets me see. “My beautiful lullaby

Has never silenced. It has only grown in beauty,” I whisper

To myself. Paca’s laugh, like church bells, is the lightest

And happiest sound I have ever heard. My world is at peace.

Paca and I talk for hours about memories that give him peace.

As Paca soundly sleeps I sing our favorite songs and Paca dreams

Of images that bring a smile to his face. They bring forth such light.

I gaze at him who shivers in his sleep. I put another blanket

On him and continue to sing. Paca awakes and whispers,

“My baby, my duchess, I’ll love you forever. Thank you for my lullaby.”

I know that Paca is at peace when they place the blanket

On him. I often dream of his face, his voice that quietly whispers

To me as I sleep. I know angels in the light sing Paca his lullaby.