Baby Present

Opening presents is wonderful fun.
At Christmas we were given
gel pens, pencil cases, DVD’s, books,
a Cinderella dress, a T-Ball set
and other wonderful toys.

For her birthday Claire was given
a brand new school bag with
Russian dolls painted on it,
an insects book, a threading
bead set, a painting set,
and other wonderful toys.

Wrapping paper. ribbons, bows,
and beautiful cards. It’s so
exciting opening presents.

Auntie Jo looked after us
when we came home from  school.
Mummy said we could
open her present for our
two day old baby brother.

We tore off the pretty paper,
opened the box – and stared !
What has she done ?! A truck !
“It’s for a boy,” said Auntie Jo.
“It doesn’t do anything !”
“It’s for a toddler,” said Auntie Jo.

Next morning Claire woke early
as usual and found that
pushing a truck across the carpet
is wonderful fun.
Chloe enjoyed it too.

Previously posted April 2016.

The Little Pink Tricycle

The little pink tricycle
with its fat white wheels
was given to Chloe
when she started to walk.

After Chloe turned four
she rode the big tricycle
– with pedals.
Now Claire happily rushed
the little pink tricycle
up and down the drive.

At four Claire tried riding
the big tricycle – with pedals.
It was slower than the pink tricycle.
Her blue Christmas scooter
was fast and fun to ride, but
Claire still remembered
good times with the pink
tricycle, still rushed it
up and down the drive.

As time went on it was not such fun.
At last Claire had to see that her knees
would not fit under the handlebars.
The little pink tricycle went slowly
now her knees had to stay
out to the sides.

With some regret she now
leaves it in the garage.

Previously posted January 2016.

Hanging Out The Washing

We’re hanging out the washing
before we go to bed.
Daddy lowered the clothesline’s end,
we pegging baby’s wash cloths.
Daddy pegs his work clothes
at the higher end.
Chloe pegs the wash cloths
at the lower end.

Claire chatters happily and
sometimes pegs  a wash cloth.
She’s had a month at school
she’s a proud big school kid now.
The “letter of the week” always
brings her great excitement.
She can’t wait until it’s “u”.
She’ll draw “underpants” in
her alphabet homework notebook
for her kind new teacher.

This baby brother cries a lot,
things get changed around.
Mummy cooked the boulognaise
but then he wailed again.
Daddy put out our dinner
then we ate it, just we three.

Here comes Mummy now,
the baby’s gone to sleep.
we’ll clean our teeth,
get into bed, and hear
our bedtime story.

Previously posted April 2016.

 

 

 

 

 

Indigestion

Our baby brother screamed
and screamed last night.

Daddy said his tummy
is still settling
he is only three weeks
old. His tummy is rock
solid and very sore.

Claire kept coughing
and going to see Daddy.
Mummy said she caught
the virus because she
is still new at school.

The baby keeps sleeping
when he’s feeding today and
has to feed again later.
Mummy brought the washing
in but it is still in piles
around the living room.

Daddy came home and went
to start our bath but Chloe
was most upset at not finishing
her homework, so he heard
us read, checked her maths.
then he ran our bath.

Mummy started cooking dinner
but the baby cried again.
Daddy put dinner out
after our bath, but we
didn’t talk at dinner
like we usually do.

Mummy is sure we will all
sleep much more tonight.
We are nearly asleep already
at the dinner table.

Previously posted April 2016.

From the Living Room Window

From the wide open
living room window I see
the shrubs lining the garden path
backed by bright pink roses –
an uncontrolled tide flowing
luxuriantly over the trellis all
glowing in the afternoon sun.

Beyond this flourishing growth
the four year old’s curly head
turns from side to side,
nods up and down as she
works in the sandpit.

She tells her bucket and spade
she is making a vase
for the big green leaves.
She tells her watering can
they will give the leaves water.
She tells the little plastic bear
he will have the shade of
the big leaves to sit under.

The end of a black furry tail
moves to and fro around
her head, her shoulders.
Its tip drops into a hook,
flicks upright, then flicks
into a hook again as
the black and white cat
rubs around her, absorbing
her bright chatter
her earnest play
in the afternoon sunshine.

Previously posted January 2016.

Picking Flowers

Tall trees shade
the garden’s back corner
where plants sprawl over the ground
in a rampant wilderness.
Violets spread prolifically
around gnarled tree roots
their clumps of leaves
speckled with tiny purple flowers.
Wandering Jew crawls
over tree roots
around violets and
long stemmed grass clumps.
Bright green oxalis starred
with tiny mauve flowers
fills in the  gaps.

The three year old is
enthralled by this
multi hued carpet
dappled light and dark
by wind fluttered leaves;
enchanted by its flowers and
tall grass seed stems.

She walks through it
picking flowers
seed stems
followed by the
black and white cat
who stares up at the branches
watching birds fly away
when his collar bell jingles.

Previously posted January 2016.

Thanksgiving

A joyous spread of dolls and toys
blockades the living room floor.
The dining table in mellow light
is sheltered by tall curtains.

Two little sisters Chloe and Claire
sit at each end of the table.
Margaret and Tom sit at
the centre and occasionally eat,
in between feeding their offspring.

The middle aged couple quietly chat,
smiling at childish rejoicing.
It’s sausages and chips for tea tonight,
tomato sauce paints little faces.

So long they had craved
partners and family
love and companionship
friendship and home.

After dead end starts
they have found each other
and brought forth children
into a home with –

a kitchen with a pantry cornucopia
a living room scattered with jumbled toys
a playroom carpeted with sharp blocks
a doll’s stroller full of black and white cat
two beds crowded with teddy bears,

and days crowned  with children’s tea time.

Previously posted February 2016

Flying Over Greenland: 1990

Engines humming endlessly
cross the vast blue Pacific
over  puffs of cloud
stacked over, around each other.
We pierce wispy white mists,
cross dark grey pillows
stretching to the edge of our vision.
Rose tinted clouds give way
to darkness. We land in the middle
of the night, enter a terminal,
sit for two hours, leave again
fly on through darkness.

The sky lightens.
Rosy hues colour the clouds again
far below, we see another ocean
under puffs and strands of cloud.

Suddenly the seascape transforms
into a huge stark white mass
sprawling under us, blazing in the sunlight.
The screen showing the plane’s
path displays Greenland.

Brilliant white  mountains, plateaux,
startle our eyes. Greenland’s only green
is along a few narrow coastal strips.
I blink away, then look back.
I do not want to miss this strange sight.

Now we reach the ocean
on Greenland’s other side.
Once again clouds soften
the blues of sky and sea.

The brilliant unique land of ice
and snow falls behind, vanishes.

Previously posted December 2015.

Watering The Dandelion

She was watering the dandelion
as I rounded the house
returning late from work.
She said its lush green magnificence
should be allowed to thrive.
Missing the tending of
her own loved garden
she watered mine
twelve thousand miles away.

On this last visit to her birthplace
her marauding white cells
were defeating the red
defying her chemical breakfasts.

Her next journey would be different
after a final departure from
beloved husband and children,
already she missed them deeply.
they would follow their own roads.
Her road with its merciless twists
was Peter Pan’s big adventure.

As she faded away
after long isolation
in a stark white hospital bed,
primrose walls palely recalled
that dandelion brilliance
lushly green and golden in the sun.

Previously posted January 2016.

A Cup Of Tea

On Bob’s priceless Saturdays
every minute must be used.

Today rush through the shower
dress in weekend clothes
devour eggs and toast.
Time for a cup of tea
before collecting cousin Jim
from the airport to stay the week.
Check the day’s list of jobs
while the tea bag in the mug
brews a rich strong hue.

**** !! We need the wood
for Uncle Tom this morning
to put in skirting around
the new laundry !

Bob leaves his tea to brew,
drives round to the timber yard
puts the timber in his station wagon.

Fred at the checkout
watches him through
the showroom window,
waits for him to come and pay.
But Bob sits in his car
again does not move.
Fred runs out
stares at Bob
calls an ambulance.

Bob’s wife and son
white faced,  stunned,
come with police
to identify, answer questions.
Bob is taken away.

Back in their silent home
in the kitchen they see
the tea bag
sitting in its mug.

The tea is now
a rich strong hue.

Previously posted January 2016.