My New Cousin
by Jacinta Van Eyk
Ethan Michael
is my baby cousin.
He is brand new
with the cutest eyes
and a wriggly body,
wrapped up in a blanket
light blue.
When I arrive,
he is sound asleep.
We all have a little peep,
and then I get to hold
and cuddle him.
The best is when he lies on me,
opens his eyes for me to see
their deep blue colour.
He stretches
and gives little sighs.
When he gets hiccups
it makes me laugh.
I wish I could be there
to see him have a bath
Writing a poem
for Ethan Michael
by Colleen Keating
in the wee hours of the morning
you stir. . . you are on your way
like a bird from a long migration
you are arriving
as dawn sprinkles its first lights
across the sky i am awake alert
to morning bird song and wait
you are arriving
before noon on a bright summer day
you begin with a first breath
your heart a fluttering bird
you have arrived
i look into your eyes
that carry other worlds
not forgotten yet by this world
and grasp the beauty and terror
of the journey
you are the living sign of our joy
a part of us of this world
nested with calm acceptance
of loving arms and familiar voices
for the artist your hair shines dark
crystallised ebony
your skin the touch of a bird’s soft down
your eyes the deep of ocean-sapphire
for the poet there are no words
just wonder and awe
but like the soar of a lark ascending
writing a poem is my flight of love
(Ethan Michael is our 11th Grandchild born 11/01/19)