My Star

I notice my mother's softness Against a hard edge citywide, Cold concrete runs towards the incoming tide. My annoying fine hair slips away from my plain slide, Mother snaps it back into its rightful place, Like the turn of a key in a lock. My beautiful school of sandstone and red block, The playground is overlooked by steel tracks and rock, I hear the ambitious sound of speed, as a few passengers wave, Mysterious faces on their way to grown-up places, Life's heartbeat is their hunt, the daily chase. I hold my brother's hand on our way home, My red pixie hat, blue wool coat with earth colour buttons, I run so fast up to the yellow front door, To see a Princess in my mother's brown and green flecked eyes, Her smile is a Kingdom of hot dinners, hugs, a discovery there is light in dark skies, I snuggle into her lap and I listen to the leaping crackle of firewood, Her gentle breath rises and falls with her light scent of a rosebud My innocent eyes close and I draw in and out of dreams, As school friends pick their favourite team, I watch them from a lonely distance, My mother's tender warmth makes her entrance, She calls out my name "Hazel"! In the inky black night her Star is my only light.