Baby

By Irene Mason

When you call me Baby,
My eyes dilate like a target,
My ears sweat rain drops,
My tongue twists tornado-style,
My nails grow pointy,
My hair curls under,
My heart leaps off a diving board,
My wrists rotate counterclockwise,
My toes feel numb (but not my pinkies),
My teeth tickle,
My knuckles refuse to crack,
My feet become more arched,
My throat gets fuzzy,
My cheeks become freckled,
My knees bend the other way,
My belly button is lint-free,
My elbow itches,
My eyelashes tingle,
My other parts do other things,
When you call me Baby.