http://www.makepovertyhistory.org.nz beautiful monsters: Reconstructing childhood

June 13, 2003

Reconstructing childhood

Faded yellow photographs
crayon drawings, and a few scraps
of memory.

*

Summer days
catching tadpoles in the muddy creek

dancing under the sprinkler
or making rainbows
with the hose.

*

The cotonus by the letterbox
bursting into autumn flames

footpaths
splattered with bright leaves

the honey scent
of beeswax candles

spiced fruit

bread
soft and steaming.

*

Plastic rubbish bags
for sliding down the winter slopes
squealing with delight

and later, packing snow
and salt
inside the wooden churn
and turning
turning
till the ice cream thickens.

*

Snowdrops in spring
daffodils pushing through the earth

chickens
fluffy balls
rolling around the lawn

the baby lamb
tethered in the back yard;
the warm bottles of milk
its soft greasy wool.

Posted by Fionnaigh at June 13, 2003 08:28 PM
Comments

i like this. well written. moving. thanks for sharing it.

Posted by: shannon at June 14, 2003 06:09 AM