baby love, by b. kingsolver

i am an avid reader of fiction, but somehow i made it 36 years without ever reading a barbara kingsolver novel.  in the past year though, i have read many of her stories, including her first book, and one of her most famous.  i also had the privilege of seeing her speak when she was here in portland a couple months ago; now i am quite convinced that the woman is a genius!
i just finished reading the poisonwood bible, and there are so many scenes and lines that are still haunting my thoughts.  this passage from the mother's point of view, about her youngest daughter just won't leave me- it's beautiful, sad and i find it to be so true...

"a mother's body remembers her babies- the folds of soft flesh, the softly furred scalp against her nose.  each child has its own entreaties to body and soul.  it's the last one, though, that overtakes you....the baby who trails her scent like a flag of surrender through your life when there will be no more coming after- oh, that's love by a different name.  she is the babe you hold in your arms for an hour after she's gone to sleep.  if you put her down in the crib, she might wake up changed and fly away.  so instead you rock by the window, drinking the light from her skin, breathing her exhaled dreams.  your heart bays to the double crescent moons of closed lashes on her cheeks.  she's the one you can't put down."

thanks, BS.  you are so, so good!