Old Man Lamp

This little man peers at me and my daughter each morning as I nurse my coffee and she eats her breakfast.

I've known him my whole life; he was previously a fixture at my grandparents house and kept me company on many a sleepover.

When they died and their belongings were offered out to my extraordinarily large family, for some reason he was one of the last remaining items that hadn't been claimed and was stacked by the door for delivery to the local Salvation Army. I'm sentimental at the best of times, and couldn't bear the thought of him leaving our family so he rode home with me in the front seat, catching more than a few tears.

I don't know where he came from, who he is or what he means, but he keeps my grandparents close and for that I'll treasure him forever.

x

A man in a million

Happy Birthday Dad

My dad's the giant in the crowd,
head and boulder shoulders proud.
Behind two craggy brows he hides
those vintage February eyes.
Ever present as the sea
his grin, just to the right of me.

He gave my heart the hands to reach
and legs to dance and soul belief.
Salty walks with windswept nose
and barefoot scuffing sandy toes.
Feijoa flesh from cold teaspoons
and mornings filled with soggy tunes.

God built him tall so all could know
that bearded laugh and baritone.
He made his home a steaming bath
shone rainbows through his bursting heart
to which we, spidermonkeys, clung
a rooted tree bathed gold in sun.

x