Elephants
for Ellie
Elephants by Tyler
Elephants are humongous.
They are light, silvery-grey.
They use their trunks
to eat and drink .
In water they like to play.
Their tusks are very strong
And they use them to crunch boulders
My elephant is very gentle
when he snuggles on my shoulders
My elephant is soft and small
I always sleep with him at night
He keeps me warm and protected
And always makes me feel right
Tyler Jack Little (8 year old)
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)
Becoming a grandparent is a special experience. I have written lots of poetry about my grandchildren.
This is the first and only poem in this Anthology
A Call to Listen. However i am hoping to gather them all up at some time and put them together for the family. Some of you will relate to the sentiment in my grandchild
my grandchild
gathered up
in my arms
warm and snuggled
is my grandchild
a tiny hand reaches out
to explore my nose
it grasps my glasses
my earrings fascinate
eyes shine with curiosity
smile with delight
laughter is bountiful
and this tiny warm body melts me
i whisper it is a beautiful world
and it is
yet in the background
i know it too is a troubled world
my eyes mirror a world of love
and i hold this precious baby ever closer