by her birth, both the book

and i
are exhausted

my mother's-
her mother's, too-

my name newly pressed
within the cover
next to theirs-
ink etchings-
fading

leaving behind
an imprint-
their knowledge-
freely given
for the future

and by now,
turned pages
folded
marking time-
four generations-
tearing

adding to yellow pages
strokes of dignity
matching their age