Plucking and tossing a mauve mophead,
Dad walks through the garden gate.
Hydrangea! Hydrangea! he says
on the way to the train station.
Then we smile and wave,
Mum smiles and waves.
Before school starts
on a summer morning,
the rose-edged estate is busy -
overshadowed by Killiney Hill.

Overshadowed by Killiney Hill,
the rose-edged estate is busy
on a summer morning
before school starts.
Mum smiles and waves,
then we smile and wave
on the way to the train station.
Hydrangea! Hydrangea! he says:
Dad walks through the garden gate
plucking and tossing a mauve mophead.

Maeve O'Sullivan has published four collections, including Initial Response, Vocal Chords, A Train Hurtles West and Elsewhere ( all from Alba Publishing ). She is a founder member of the Hibernian Poetry Workshop and Haiku Ireland.