Roman at three
“It's a flower!”
Upon the hand
Plump glad smiles to signal
The exploration
“See, I found it.”
A look to the woods
A gesture
A knowing of the gift
“It was just there.”
And gold sparks fly
From within the eye
Of the bearer of fruit
“It's for you.”
And a tear wells up
While the heart explodes
My beautiful boy
I love you.
King of the Castle
(Roman at 5)
The castle walls
Stone, concrete, mud
Built to last
The toughest conquest
Roaming arms
Legs, feet and eyes
A climbing child
Full of laughter
Exploring this world
Imagining, creating
How many things to do,
See and wonder about?
A valiant knight
Saving damsels in distress
Solving the puzzle
Of escaping the maze
Tunnels and towers
Maybe even traps
Only the clever can become
King of the Castle
“Being at home can be fun, insulating, relaxed, boring or isolating ... depending on how the day is going.”*
School holidays are almost over in my part of the world – six long weeks of noise and squabbling balanced by hot, lazy days at the beach or the pool with lots of daring exploits and laughter. Many of our days were spent at home, basking in simple pleasures like baking, playing games or outdoor pursuits – trying to relax the everyday routines of school-morning bustle and ‘having to be somewhere on time’. However pleasant, I must admit to being relieved that life gets back to normal next week, and I can reclaim some of my own time for writing again!
* From Being Mummy by Anne‑marie Taplin published April 2007