Firstborn and her spouse
both reach their half century this year
The party is tomorrow.
I’ve been baking
The machine did the hard work
but some jobs still need the personal touch
and now I keep catching
the lingering aroma of vanilla on my hands
from knuckling the shortbread mix into a tin
And my mind’s window opened
on instantly recollected new smells
of baby powder, baby bath liquid and shampoo
baby oil and nappy creme
The new routines
nappies drying on the fire-guard
kettle heating water on the gas hob
for the smart new dark-blue oval washing-up bowl
bought for our baby bath
And remembered sounds
the piercing wailing cries of the new-born
the monotonous click of the thermostat
on the new electric heater
during those long middle of the night feeds
And oh! the terror
of the totality of the responsibility!
and her huge dark trusting eyes
staring steadily into mine as I fed her
21 July 2023
Riverview Songs 