Brave New World

It’s a little over two weeks since my older son left for Canada. I have tried to make sure that we have had nice things to do as a distraction. There have been lots of messages back and forth and a video chat and the family WhatsApp has been very busy! I have been to London to see a couple of plays, amazing and moving pieces of theatre in the form of Grenfell, at the National Theatre and Dr Semmelweis at The Harold Pinter Theatre. Plus, we have spent a couple of days with ‘the in-laws’, that is to say with the parents of our younger son’s partner. We were celebrating the news that in the new Year we are going to become grandparents. Grandparents. I didn’t ever think we would be so blessed. I have on my phone a grainy image sent by my son of the scan. A little creature not yet quite of this world but so very powerfully present and eager to be known, one small hand outstretched as though for a fit bump. If you follow me on what I still call Twitter you will know that I am already knitting!

So, here I am, adjusting to the business of being a long distant mother to one son and to the prospect of becoming a grandparent. I have decided that I am to be known as Omi. My mother was Mutti to me so I can be Omi (German for granny) to this little one. There will be poetry in it, that’s for certain. In the months before my older son left I thought a great deal about his childhood. I will put a couple of the poems that ensued up on the poem pages. The poem, A Communion With Nature was originally published by Flight Of The Dragonfly - check them out.