It’s all of us,
Sitting in the garden,
Catching the last dying rays of the summer sun.
The adults drinking coffee,
The children playing games.
Gentle murmurings of soft conversation,
With chatter and laughter
Occasionally breaking through the peace.
My gran, with one of her wide-brimmed hats,
My grandad with his paint-stained jumper,
Discussing the politics of the world.
My dad teasing his brother,
My uncle laughing, joking back.
My mother and aunt talking
About anything and everything under the sun.
Further over, the grandchildren decide what to do next.
In the end my sister settles the debate.
They begin again,
Each one as a bird.
One cousin a dove, with a beautiful voice.
The other a blue tit, active all year round.
My sister, the boss, was a powerful eagle.
And me a seagull, getting in everyone’s way.
One of my cousins didn’t play,
But sat instead under the apple tree, observing.
I wish I could freeze this moment,
Hold it with me forever.
But no, all things must change,
So now I say goodbye,
To this moment caught in time.
Sitting in the garden,
Catching the last dying rays of the summer sun.
The adults drinking coffee,
The children playing games.
Gentle murmurings of soft conversation,
With chatter and laughter
Occasionally breaking through the peace.
My gran, with one of her wide-brimmed hats,
My grandad with his paint-stained jumper,
Discussing the politics of the world.
My dad teasing his brother,
My uncle laughing, joking back.
My mother and aunt talking
About anything and everything under the sun.
Further over, the grandchildren decide what to do next.
In the end my sister settles the debate.
They begin again,
Each one as a bird.
One cousin a dove, with a beautiful voice.
The other a blue tit, active all year round.
My sister, the boss, was a powerful eagle.
And me a seagull, getting in everyone’s way.
One of my cousins didn’t play,
But sat instead under the apple tree, observing.
I wish I could freeze this moment,
Hold it with me forever.
But no, all things must change,
So now I say goodbye,
To this moment caught in time.
