Alfie (story)

Alfie is my grandson, Olivia’s younger brother. In this poem, written when Alfie was two years old (less than a thousand suns), the longer lines enfold the shorter ones to enhance the message of the final words of the poem….” the larger hand holding yours.”

The reference to grids and pans and lids refers to Alfie’s delight in dropping stones down street grids, and playing with kitchen utensils, despite having more toys than a Hamleys warehouse. The poem uses strict line length and metre, something of a later development in my poetry.