Here’s my latest entry into the dVerse Open Link – why not take a look at everyone else’s wonderful responses?
This is about me and my dad, having a conversation with him in my head.
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Tag Family
Gloria! – dVerse Poetics
Something strange is happening in the ether. This week’s dVerse Poetics prompt yet again seems to have a certain connection with the unravelling of my own family history. I must confess, it’s like removing layer after layer of a very large onion!
This week’s prompt is all things Italian. Luckily for me (since I haven’t visited Italy), we don’t need to be obvious in how we interpret this prompt. As a bit of background, my mum used to take me to Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery every time we went into town, and I loved it. I now know that this place holds very strong and extremely fond memories for her, which adds to the joy of my own memories of our visits, which I adored.
I hope you enjoy my small snippet from my childhood – and take a look at all the other offerings on dVerse as well!
– Gloria! –
I spent my childhood here, or so it seems
A small girl, grasping her mother’s hand
Gazing open-mouthed at the glories above
Light reflecting on oil,
Paintings as lustrous as if they were finished only yesterday
And the brushes still resting, waiting to be cleaned.
If only I could reach up and touch
I just knew that my fingertips would pull away slick –
Sticky with vermillion, regal blue and baby-blush rose
A tiny remnant of Madonna and Child
Singular – Līgo Haibun Challenge
The Līgo Haibun Challenge is hosted by Penny, Ye Pirate and Nightlake – and now Esenga has joined their happy band! Why not take a trip to their blogs to find out more?
This week’s is picture week, and I have chosen the ethereal image below, taken by Ye Pirate:
Please do go and check out the other entries by visiting any of the co-hosts’ blogs and finding the InLinkz linky thing! There are some very talented writers out there… I will visit each and every one as soon as I can!
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– Singular –
I remember growing up as an only child and feeling like the odd one out. At home, after school and at weekends, I was perfectly, blissfully happy. I had my imagination. I had the stories I wrote, my books, my mum, my step-dad. We were a unit, one of each, a triumvirate.
All of my friends seemed to have siblings – older, younger, sister, brother. Everyone had someone, except me. If I thought about it too much, it made me miserable at worst, lonely at best.
I used to stay with a childminder after school and I loved it. The lady, Ann, had two daughters of her own, one my age and one a few years younger. We had a great time playing together. I was treated like one of the family, met their grandparents, was given presents at birthdays and included in their Hanukkah celebrations.
As I grew older, I began to relish being just one. I was never selfish, but I understood that I was lucky not to be caught in the sibling rivalry trap that seemed to obsess so many of my friends. The eldest always had to set the good example, always appeared to get the blame for the naughty escapades of their younger siblings. The youngest always appeared to feel like they weren’t quite as good as their much-vaunted and older siblings. Nobody seemed to win and everyone always envied me.
My own siblings came along much later – I was almost a teenager when my first sister arrived. I was too old to have to set a good example, too old to be caught up in the petty disagreements that seemed to matter so much to my friends. I am blessed to be part of such a different family. I think that in a way, I have the best of both worlds.
empty seats no longer
brothers, sisters are here
no, I am not alone
Freya Writes... 