Surely

Surely

for Dr. Shirley Martin

based on a true story

At the invitation of the Shah's people she set out

for an adventure abroad taking

10 uniforms

3 pair of good American shoes

2 identical white cardigans

and her mother, who would find clean water,

bargain for melons, and train the help.

Square and blonde she moved briskly

through Labor and Delivery trying to discern

the structure of the system

as women arrived, chose empty beds

and quietly let her know when they were ready.

As the baby came, the nursery girl

would write the mother's name

on its forehead with a grease pencil.

Several times a day the babies were brought

and mothers' names called out.

If there were many Maras, the baby

would be carried from one to the next

until its mother was found.

Some days she would visit the nursery

after her shift, brushing babies' black hair

with her small white fingers,

crooning their mothers' names to them

in a language they would never speak.

Once, puzzled by clean faces,

she asked the nursery girl

Why no names on the babies by the heater?

The mothers had left. They had too many.

Or too many girls.

Her own mother told her to bring them all home.

More realistic, she presented a plan to the Director.

Milk could be expressed, agencies involved.

Fingers making the church and the steeple,

he explained it was impossible.

She never visited the nursery again

but served her time efficiently,

telling herself over and over,

like a prayer sung out in the marketplace:

Surely this one

sliding into my hands

will be delivered.