#NaPoWriMo 2021 - Haiku of Life (1982)

 

1982

Wrote your first poem

when you reached ten and haven’t

stopped writing them since.

(In 1982 the above happened. It changed my life)

#NaPoWriMo 2021 - Haiku of Life (1981)

 

1981

In your Uncles car

you didn’t stop shaking for hours

when the riots began.

(In July 1981 – Manchester, UK was engulfed in the Moss Side Riots and me, my uncle and dad got caught up in it. It was frankly a terrifying memory)

#NaPoWriMo 2021 - Haiku of Life (1980)

 

1980

Blood spread everywhere

when your brother fell onto

the floor at the gate

(In 1980, freshly born my brother wanted to play games with me and my sister and in this case badly injured himself tripping up)

#NaPoWriMo 2021 - Haiku of Life (1979)

 

1979

You fell on the floor

running to see your brother

shortly after born.

(In 1979 my brother was born and my first memory of him was falling onto the floor in the hospital)

#NaPoWriMo 2021 - Haiku of Life (1977 and 1978)

 

1977

Watching you struggle

your mum didn't know how to say

you were colourblind.

(I was around 5 when I had to do a test which proved me colourblind and it took my mother days to explain to me I was different)

1978

Step in my footsteps

your father barked walking us

to school in the snow.

(Another early memory - 1978 was a terrible winter with my dad unable to get to work, walked us to school in the heavy snow)

#NaPoWriMo 2021 - Haiku of Life (1975 and 1976)

 

1975

Giggling you kicked your

grandads tin leg hard again

when he said more, more.

(My Mother’s father had his leg amputated not long after I was born and

he found it hilarious when the above happened. My only memory of him)

*

1976

Endlessly too hot

whenever we played outside

mum said drink water

(It was a very warm summer that year and everytime me and my sister played outside, our mum had a battle to drink water)

#NaPoWriMo 2021 - Haiku of Life (1974)

 

1974

Magic you were told

when they bought your sister home

after she was born.

(My sister followed around 22 months after I was born and I believed for years after it was really magic)