I see you mum
Holding me tight
I love you mum
For keeping me safe
I love you mum
With my tiny

Watch in wonder, listen with care.
As its teachings this world lays bare.
Run, skip, jump,

May 19, 2016

The world as we know it is devoid of innocence.
What once was a normality is now a

I pass the spot on Main Street on occasion when I visit,
Its empty now and nothing marks the spot –

I want to wake up yesterday
When the sun seemed warmer
When snowflakes were falling stars
When

You reached your first milestone today, with that smile.
You’re changing so quickly, stay this

A cocktail of emotions bubbles within.
I sometimes allow you under my skin.

Sibling or foe? I

The TV set flickers
It’s seven o’clock and
Rudolf’s coming on
channel 10
My red PJ’s fit

Beautiful, brave, buoyant boy.
Floating, cutting, slicing through the blue waves.
Strokes made

I want them back
Laughter, pigtails and Lollipops
Bedtime stories and kisses on the forehead for

The smudged sun dips
To stain the city gold,
Anointing the little girl
With glory.

For the

the dark is just an abbreviation
i know that now

but when i was a child
something was

Tail-fins flit behind
Glass walls

And steeply reveal
Silver beneath.

A small girl

The scattered bricks lie loose in redness glow of crumbling clay,
Prostrate amidst the weeds and

Seeing once more the
Old friend's stitched smile
He remembered hugs
Tight enough to press

Part

At one year old
The fuzzy world
Begins to coalesce.
What is that? you want to ask
But of

We chalked out
our personalities on pavements
bright colours on grey slabs
until the rains came

She grips a pencil
Better than a spoon.

Slowly lifted,
Then expertly held
In stubby

Donkeys donkeys donkeys years
Have passed since I first kissed you
At primary school hid from

I remember the first time I entered the shop
With its windows painted all black
From outside it

Ochre marble lino grew in the house
Like scutch grass running through
Meadows, reaching every

All the shiny black cars.
Whitewalled, steel-spoked wheels.
Orange bakelite fingers
And

I only have her
For the morning.
Later she can
Enjoy to the full
Everything the day
Can bring

Now and again
I revisit the little bridge
Over the River Loddon, look down at the bank
It's where

I don't want this day,

Her first day,

To ever end.



She practices facial

Turn the handle slowly, hands shaking, heart racing, the sherry bottle minefield awaits.
No choice;

Drink, drugs, pills, and Magic potion, the wizard of Oz the yellow brick road.
Color spectrum,

She was first attracted by
Straight-from-the-fridge
Coldness against teething cheeks;

Later,