The garden thrives by the grace of nature and the whole nine yards of it—where the
Four O’Clocks, still heavy with nectar, intoxicate and attract bees, wasps, flies, and
moths but fail to lure the butterflies away from the lavender, the obedient, the black
eye Susans, and mukuge*—is enjoying another rewilding. The garden is!
It’s too bad nature doesn’t lend a hand with the house cleaning. The good news is
no one here gets sick from a “lottle” dust.
Team, it’s official:
we’re expecting a baby girl
suddenly, I love pink
suddenly, suds everywhere
suddenly, the house shines
Lacking a housemaid, this half-poet relinquishes the pen and the old homestead, that,
until yesterday lived for the sound of little boys’ feet coming and going and got bored
of all the cleaning that went on, now enjoys the nostalgic tickle of the broom and the
sudsy smell of lemon and lavender.
All the curtains get a wash and a sunning, cobwebs get sent outdoors, threadbare rugs
exchanged, and tatami mats replaced. The cupboards and closets lose weight, and
unused “stuff” gets sent to new homes. And you’re the first to know, my friends.
after a lie-down
and adjusting my compass
come November,
in my favorite season
you may call me Grand Mama
As you’re well aware, I do not take well to summer, notwithstanding, I braved it and
welcomed the task of cleaning the domicile making it cozy for my son and his wife to
nest with us this fall to wait for the baby.
like the Yule event:
young man and his pregnant wife
—the stable is almost ready
WordPress informs me I’m on a 183-day streak. Well, their robot is not a good counter:
some days my streak is in the 160 benchmark, and others 180’s. All’s I knows iz I’s
been publishing daily since March. Words are my forte, not math!
I cannot say when or if I’ll take a leave of absence—good or bad, hard to say—if I
go, please try not to miss me too much. I’ll be going googoo gaga over a little child.
As a first-time grandma, I’ll probably be crying and be the one wetting my pants from
not knowing “how to bee” around a newborn girl child. But I’ll be back! I love this place
so much, please don’t forget me.
while I’m on cloud nine
will redeem with scheduled posts
and support true friends
–all it takes is a baby
to get your house spic and span
Copyright © selmamartin
mukuge* (rose of Sharon)
Written for Colleen’s Tanka Tuesday Syllabic Poetry Challenge
Thanks so much for reading my happy breaking news.
My husband and I don’t know what to do with ourselves.
Stay sweet. I wish you miracles.
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That’s wonderful for you, Selma! I hope everything goes well for the family to be!
Dearest Stephen. Aww, thanks so very much. Be well, my friend. Blessings.
Selma I can’t seem to reply to you and I dread to think who I have sent this reply too. This is my third attempt I hope you get this one .
Congratulations Selma on your wonderful news and if course your sparklingly clean and comfy stable. Be assured we will not forget you.
Remember to write down each magic moment as it happens before it is bannished by the next magic moment. Be safe and bless all of you.
I loved your poems and words in this post 😂
Hi Stephen. Hi Willow. Thanks a million. Bless you both.
Congratulations, Selma! Blessings to you and your family on the good news!
Thanks for the blessings on my news, dear Suzette. So kind of you, dear one. Bless you too.
I am so excited for you, Selma!!
Aww. My heart implodes with every one of these exciting comments. Thanks Suzette.
My heart is so full reading your post, Selma. Your words and poetry do justice to the joy in your heart. It’s so beautiful and so much love.
Aww, sweet friend. So happy you felt my joy. I am overflowing in joy for sure. Thank you, thank you. Blessings, always. xoxo
What an awesome news Selma. Baby granddaughters are the best. May the time comes with ease and happiness for all of you, especially the parents. Amen. 🙏🏼
Oh, dear Sadje, your message warms me with delight. Thank you. Looking forward to what’s to come. Our hearts are so ready. Granddaughters are the best… I think I’ll cry now. Thank you. Blessing you.
Aww! Hugs. 🤗
Heart touching ,Selma written you. Good news your granddaughter baby are the best. Congratulations 👏
Dearest Raj, so happy to hear this one touched your heart. Thanks for the sweet words. Bless you. Stay sweet. xo
oh, selma, i am so incredibly happy for you1 being a grandmother is one of the happiest parts of my life, and my grand mama name is peaches, a childhood nickname i reclaimed when my daughters were pregnant. love your words, the joy just flowed from you, and you are nesting, filled with happiness and making even more room in your heart for the little love who will soon arrive.
Yes Beth. I’m nesting and making room. A fantastic experience already. Thanks a million for making me feel so good. Love your comment. Again, thanks. 😊
Aww Selma
Wonderful news .
Many blessings to you and yours my friend.
Aww. Maggie. Bless you my friend. And thanks so much
And thank you for sharing your news Selma 🤗🙏
Congratulations Selma on your wonderful news and if course your sparklingly clean and comfy stable. Be assured we will not forget you.
Remember to write down each magic moment as it happens before it is bannished by the next magic moment. Be safe and bless all of you.
I loved your poems and words in this post 😂
Maggie. Thanks. Willow. Thanks too. Sending double blessings.
*HUGE HUG*
Huge hug received. Thanks, David. Xo
What a blessing for you, your husband, son and wife, and this sweet baby girl who will come into a world full of love and being loved. There is no greater gift to give a child. Xoxo
No greater gift than being loved and loving. Thanks dearly my friend. 😉 and thanks for that very long email too. Warmed me all over. You are the best. Thank YOU
Awwww Selma how exciting!!!! Congratulations
Blessings Belladonna. And thanks so much for reading my breaking news. XO
You’re welcome!
Selma, I’m THRILLED for you and yours!!! That’s marvelous!!! As a recent first time grandparent myself, I can tell you just how special and wonderful it is!! While we will miss you if you take a break, what a fabulous reason for doing so, and we will anticipate your return, if you do. So many congratulations, friend!! (P.S. November is a great month — or it is for me — I was born in it. :-))
First time grandparent—oh yes, now I remember you telling me that. Drēma dearest. Congratulations 🎉 wholeheartedly happy for you 🥹
The house cleaning 🧽 🧼 🧹 should slowly be done with. I swear I don’t know who got the house in such a mess… I breathe better now.
Me October, You November. I remember!
aside: ((Poet John Keats, October : Poet William Blake, and Novelist Selma Lagerlöf, November))
Yes indeed what a great month to be born in.
Thanks for the well wishes and enthusiasm grandmama. I’m loving this already. Bless you. 🤗
It is a beautiful thing to be a grandmother, congratulations on your lovely news.
Thanks so dearly Diana. I appreciate the congratulatory greeting. Bless you always.
You too 💕
wishing you many years of baby girl growing up and giving joy to her grandparents!
Aww. The future. Thanks for this lovely wish dear Laura. Bless you always. Xoxo
Oh soooo happy for you, Selma💕
Thanks so much, Cindy. 🤪
You’re going to love it!! welcome❣️
All smiles for you, beautiful writer, soon to be Grand Mama Selma. Has a nice sound, doesn’t it. Congratulations and what a lovely way you’ve presented your and your family’s exciting news. 🩷💖🩷💖
“lottle” ~ cute!
Happy you enjoyed the breaking news presentation. It just fell right into the tanka prose prompt. I was surprised at how well it fit (fat?!) thanks for the congratulatory sentiment. I take this to heart 🥹 Overflowing with joy, I am. A lottle joy 🤩
As for your book— Lady Michele Lee, wowed me not. I know what you are made of already. How could you write so well!? And you “almost” lost me—but I caught myself in time. I had blind belief in your ability to turn this into my fave novella. You did. You did! Tenfold.
And Lilly? Girl! You might not know this but you honored me by giving that lovely character my best friend’s name. (She’s gone from this world now but she’s still with me) Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
The review will come. I just need to organize my thoughts well. I don’t want to give anything away. It’s a most lovely novella. A great moral story. Aww, you never lost me. You lifted me higher. Thank you.
Oh, dear Selma. We are soaring together, as your words have lifted me to a place with a most heavenly view. Tears of joy and overwhelming happiness for your life news and for the gift of knowing you. Thank you for all the beauty you bring into this world, through your poetry, gorgeous prose, and compassion for others. Your connection, understanding, and appreciation of this story makes it all worthwhile. Thank you with all my heart. 💖 As for Lilly… I had a sense “she” would show up, but I wasn’t sure how the story would unfold. A beautiful unfolding, not without some heartbreak, too. 🙏🏻
P.S. I did not know that was your best friend’s name and I am sorry for your loss. Your connection adds a special layer to that character’s appearance. 💕 Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
“the stable is almost ready” — what a lovely image. Congratulations, Selma. I’m so happy for you. May blessings abound. ❤️
Oh Gwen. Thanks for appreciating that line. I gave a double take at seeing how that got a line of its own making right before my joy filled eyes. Thanks for sharing in my happiness, my friend. Bless you
How exciting! Congratulations Selma. (K)
Yes, K. Very exciting. Thanks for reading. Sending September Blessings. 🍂
How wonderful for you, Selma! Congratulations to you and your family. I wish you all the best and much happiness! Hugs and blessings xo
Aww Lauren, dear. So glad you caught this breaking news that has me over the moon. We are all doing well. Thanks so much for your kind thoughts. Bless you. Good night. xo
What wonderful news, Selma! And to share it through poetry is beautiful! Congratulations!
Yvette M Calleiro 🙂
http://yvettemcalleiro.blogspot.com
You’re sweet for reading my friend. Poetry is my world right now. I had to share it this way. Actually didn’t know how to do it until Colleen’s examples. Came along. Thanks dearly. Be well, Yvette.
Yay!!! Congratulations, Selma on the happy news. I’m excited and happy for you. 🙂
Aww. Thanks so very much for sharing in my joy my lovely Kitty. Blessings.
Thank you for your blessings, Selma. It’s precious. 🙂
<3 <3 <3
family takes on
an expanding dimension
resonant love beats
Stellar gift, dearest Lisa. What gorgeousness. Thanks a million my lovely. Bless you for that. 🤗
Selma –
I’m so happy for you! Congratulations on your new status of grandmother to be!
Much love,
Lori
Lori. Hey Lori. Thanks a million for reading and dropping a comment. Makes me so happy. 🤗 🤗
Congratulations Selma on your wonderful news….and you beautiful clean stable! 😀. Enjoy every moment of this new experience and not down the new wonders as they happen lest they disappear as the next new wonder occurs. Blessings to you all.😊😊💜💜💜
Willow, I so appreciate your lovely efforts to get this message across to me. I’m sure Lori doesn’t mind.
I don’t know what you mean exactly. This is the first I’ve heard of someone not being able to reply to my post. I’m soooo sorry, Willow. If someone else informs me of such, I’ll talk to the Happiness Engineers to get it fixed. Thanks for the heads up. Bless you my friend. Thank you my friend. 💗
So happy for your good news, Selma. You are indeed blessed in life, and in penmanship🤩🌼💜🙏
You’re sweet dear friend. Thanks so much.
Selma it is wonderful to see you so happy. It is contagious . Thank you
Contagious. I want it to get to pandemic proportions. 😂 So much to be grateful for. Get my happy. You will love it. Bless you anonymous—Willow? Whoever you are. Xoxo
Congratulations! Great news! Maggie
sweet. thanks. glad your read. xoxo
I’m so happy for you, Selma! Congratulations! You will make a wonderful Grandma.