I always made the cake
sponge, with chocolate inside
sugar icing that dripped in rivulets
like the many rainy 
late October birthdays
some pale pink candles
and silvered sugar balls
delineating years; 
3, 5, 10...today too many
to ignite and blow before the cake
catches fire.

A few close friends to party with
apple bobbing, musical chairs 
and spectral decor we'd cut
from coloured paper
wool webbed for extra spookiness
when the lights switched off
and only the cake flames glowed
in the dark, on your shining face
a halo of curls, tight and blonde
puffed cheeks filled to blow
all in one go 
- the candles quenched

Another birthday counted
and I count down
back down these 50 years
to the night you slipped 
just past the midnight hour
newly fleshed and with eyes so blue
opened from the first.

30 thoughts on “A Daughter’s Birth Day”

1. What a lovely, lovely write, Laura. A beautiful poem for your daughter’s fiftieth. Daughters truly are so precious.

   1. thank you Putnam and for such an apt and timely prompt

      1. You are welcome on both counts, Laura.

2. I wonder if she would still love to have such a birthday cake… so many wonderful memories you have.

   1. indeed!

3. Ah birthdays. I still luv mine though i do not always eat cake.

   much♡love

4. Such a lovely poem and memories. My eldest will be 50 next February, not sure how that can be since I am only 35. Many happy returns to your daughter, hope you are sharing some chocolate cake with her. 🎂

   1. thank you Jude – we are the same age!! 😉

5. Beautiful tribute, and lovely times….*sigh*…..always brings a tinge of sadness…

   1. yes always an undertow of sadness in such celebrations – thank you Ain for your sensitivity

6. Wonderful, so loving

   1. many thanks

7. That was a very touching and beautiful read xx many happy memories and many happy returns xx thank you Mum for the words and the many memories xx

   1. I’m happy to see how far you’ve come and are still forging ahead in your inimitable way – and the curls are even lovelier now

8. Such joy! Thanks for sharing it with us. (K)

   1. glad to know the words conveyed some of that – thanks Kerfe

9. Beautiful poem and wonderful memory. Wishing your daughter a happy birthday, Laura. 🙂

   1. thank you Kitty and for your good wishes

      1. You are welcome, Laura. 🙂

10. Lovely reflections. ❤

    1. thank you

11. A lovely poem for your daughter’s birthday.

    1. thank you for your appreciation

12. Thank you for sharing this special part of you and your daughter’s life so beautifully, Laura…

    1. and I appreciate you sharing in it here

13. This is such a gorgeous and poignant poem, Laura. I also always made my kids birthday cakes.

    1. thank you Roberta

       1. My pleasure

14. Just beautiful!

    1. many thanks Kiki – inevitably personally nostalgic!

Comments are closed.