There are patterns of snow like checkerboard rows
in between the cobblestones, undisturbed by morning's onslaught
and she wants to stamp them down and show her "Abdrucken."
Isn't it fantastic? she enthuses and all I can think is
you only have on rubber boots & school pants, not snow boots & snow pants so please refrain
but if she comes home late from school, I will know
she is getting her fill outside
my jurisdiction.
Later at the Wasser Bistro, I order hot chocolate and go and sit
in the gallery overlooking the pool, one seat back from some father with a laptop
glowing blue in the semi darkness beneath the orange Christmas lights.
He looks out at the pool, too, but the kids are such a swarm from up here
and so small and dressed in seemingly identical blue (though I know this isn't true)
that despite concerted efforts to identify mine after the initial spotting,
I am unsuccessful and panic
at the thought of being unable to reach her
in an emergency rush for the door.
No, I cannot find her now and to make matters worse,
one of the mothers has come over to ask if she can share my seat and make small talk
in German,
then another and now it's all in Turkish.
I move to the front tables
away from the pool and looking into the lobby
where the kids will emerge if they live,
anxious to get back out to the parking lot and unlock the bikes in the dark.
What will we eat? I have been reading philosophy in a popular magazine (in German at least - yes, it's a feat - Stern Magazine.) Questions like
What is Honesty? What is Love? What is Morality?
Thinking of my daughter's insistence that
God made the world.
Think about it, Mommy, she admonishes when she asks who made the cars and I say people and she says yes, but who made them?
A contest entry
- A Moment Like This by Rowan.
800 points, ended December 17, 2008, 13 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Comments
1 - 7 of 7
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Plant those bulbs hon, and screw the neighbors. I grow dandelions beautifully myself. lol.
I liked this ea, it is a moment in a mothers life-that panic when you can't spot your child; you know it's irrational, that they're fine, but still...
Excellent take on the prompt, thanks for entering this moment for me.
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Well done and origional. The drama of everyday life, the tension of parenthood. I really enjoyed this.
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I loved this. Its a first for me to read something like like this, its like a page out of a diary, and I loved it!
The entire write has this nostalgic feel to it.... without going over the top with reminiscing or indepth imagery... Awesome!
"but if she comes home late from school, I will know
she is getting her fill outside
my jurisdiction."
I thought this was very clever
The ending was just perfect....the way you brought God into this piece was just marvellous! You are really good! Pen on!
peace.
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I like it.
The mundane made interesting. I love "where the kids will emerge if they live." This is very well written.
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Gee this is good. Im in awe of your talent. I was just checking on the contest, and read this. Amazing.
Joe
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That's the wisest take on God I have heard in ages. Also shows alot of innocence to have not recognized enough of the bad, and to question the paradox that these are also an extension of 'God's creation'. Great Capture. Agree with Krizaa.
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It was fun sitting and reading about a day in your life. this is very well written. write one everyday (: I would love to read it...
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