When I was a giant
Once the whole of your sweet self
Wet from the bath
Would fit in the dip in the bowl of my lap
For a making-it-better or
Comfort of dreams
An Eskimo/ butterfly kiss
Sung in a lullaby
Swung from the stars
When I was a giant and you just a child
I wrestled with dragons and
Mended it all, the teddy’s burst stuffing
The tangles in hair
The friends who were vicious, neglectful, called names
I watched the horizon for trouble to come
With plasters and ointment
With warm winter coats
With warnings and counsel
With day-glo reflectors, inflated armbands
But now we are older
And you are the one
The tigress protecting her beautiful young
Fighting such battles
Heart brave but life-scarred
I weep when I hear you
And rail against fate
Now that you’re out in the jungle alone
Weep by the phone in impotent rage
Donning my giant boots, super-power cape
Sheathing my sword and preparing to stride
Swift over mountains, the thousands of leagues
To rescue my loved ones with flashing of blade
To scoop you up gently
And bring you back home
Fairy tale ending, a port in a storm
Where people are waiting who love you the best
With plasters and ointment, unlimited love
A wandful of wishes
The comfort of dreams
Once the whole of your sweet self
Wet from the bath
Would fit in the dip in the bowl of my lap
For a making-it-better or
Comfort of dreams
An Eskimo/ butterfly kiss
Sung in a lullaby
Swung from the stars
When I was a giant and you just a child
I wrestled with dragons and
Mended it all, the teddy’s burst stuffing
The tangles in hair
The friends who were vicious, neglectful, called names
I watched the horizon for trouble to come
With plasters and ointment
With warm winter coats
With warnings and counsel
With day-glo reflectors, inflated armbands
But now we are older
And you are the one
The tigress protecting her beautiful young
Fighting such battles
Heart brave but life-scarred
I weep when I hear you
And rail against fate
Now that you’re out in the jungle alone
Weep by the phone in impotent rage
Donning my giant boots, super-power cape
Sheathing my sword and preparing to stride
Swift over mountains, the thousands of leagues
To rescue my loved ones with flashing of blade
To scoop you up gently
And bring you back home
Fairy tale ending, a port in a storm
Where people are waiting who love you the best
With plasters and ointment, unlimited love
A wandful of wishes
The comfort of dreams
7th August 2009 Hounoux
You put it so well in words Sally. I guess the first verse is really the foundation for the second and I guess it takes a wise woman who learns when to pick up her sword and stride forward or hang back, be there,watch and be ready. It's all to come I'm sure. xx
ReplyDeleteOh yes! And Jude is so right too! One does want to stride in with sword flashing, but it isn't always the right thing to do. My favourite comment from John on a bullying teacher (!) was, "My Mum went ballistic!" Then when he was at work, and commenting on his employer's treatment of a colleague, he told them solemnly, "My Mum would go ballistic." Which obviously frightened the employer, because they let him tape the whole of the next conversation with the employee!
ReplyDeleteButthebit I really identify with is "weeping by the phone in impotent rage". Oh yes. Been there! Thank you for saying it for all Mums/ grandmothers.
This so was poem as therapy for me, since my impotent rage and weeping made me feel so awful. I had such a vision of myself full of very un-Quakerly anger, going forth to rescue my child and dealing out vengeance- even more un-Quakerly. And of course we cannot do such things and it would make things worse, no doubt, but writing it has taken all my rage away and also made me feel less impotent, strangely. Is wonderful the power of poetry for me. Thank you both for your thoughtful responses.
ReplyDeleteMeant to say that the line near the end of the poem is a deliberate echo of the end of Where the Wild Things Are, a line which I was always moved by' Back, where someone loved him best of all'
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteFrom Rosie: I found this poem extremely powerful. Needless to say, it made me cry!
ReplyDeleteFrom D W:
ReplyDeleteThink that's just about the most beautiful poem I've ever read, and let's just say it brought me to pretty full-on man-tears!