My boy recently marked his fourth whirl around the sun, giving me reason to channel my creative energy into party planning (with barely any energy for this or that). With months of build-up, the anticipation resulted in the full spectrum of almost-four year old behaviour, from the excited-yet-gentle questioning ‘is it my birthday yet?’ to the frustrated, foot-stomping, lego-throwing, angry exclamation that ‘MY BIRTHDAY is NEVER COMING!!!’ Continue reading
We have a little ritual most evenings where at some point of cuddles on the couch while reading before bedtime, my son will call out for his dad’s ‘rescue helicopter’, giggling and asking:
‘can you rescue me daddy?’
From the other room, dad’s chopper blades can be heard to the growing squeals of my boy as he anticipates the helicopter ride once he’s free from mamma’s arms. They fly around the room and ‘land’ on impossible surfaces— the keys of the piano, the dining table, the top of the child proof fence separating the lounge room from the art studio. All fun, light and laughter no matter how many times we play out this rescue, but the symbolism of his request for a ‘rescue’ from my embrace doesn’t escape me. Continue reading
a distant star dies
journeys a billion light years
nurtures a child’s wish
dreams not left to chance
child’s breath on dandelion
in a puddle, stars
a man emerges
armoured in child’s scar tissue
seeks the star within
The words ‘child’ and ‘star’, prompts from RonavanWrites’ Weekly Haiku Poetry Prompt Challenge were floating through my consciousness, not readily forming a connection. The missing piece that woke my muse from her slumber was a photo of dandelion seeds floating in water that I saw in a post by Derrick J Knight. Then it all came together, making me smile, and reminding me of the story of Yashoda seeing the universe in Krishna’s mouth as I drank my dandelion chai. Thanks Ronovan and Derrick for the inspiration, and thanks for permission to use your photo, Derrick!
Work in Progress 