Hannah Lavery is the current Edinburgh Makar. Dear Mum is from her first full-length poetry collection BLOOD SALT SPRING (Polygon Books) which was short-listed for the 2022 Scottish Poetry Book of the Year.
The poem has been selected for publication in the December issue of The Edinburgh Reporter by the Scottish Poetry Library.
DEAR MUM
Looking out this window
I started thinking of Bill Withers
of how, when we were all confined
to our own five miles, we cared more
about our neighbours.
Learned the names of the birds.
Noticed our children. I started to cry
a wee tear that led quickly to sobbing.
It was quite something.
We put the tree up at the weekend
and even though it was only the fifth
we felt like we were the last to do it.
Och! It seems like everyone is depressed
and I suppose it did cheer me up
to come down to twinkly lights
Monday morning.
I just finished the Big Shop
I got you all the things you liked.
Then remembered you wouldne be coming…
I think I will put the red cabbage
in a Tupperware and leave it for you
on your front step, maybe I will sing
Lean on Me, through your letterbox.
We’ve done well to come this far
you said, it’s true, and it’ll no be long
they say,
but I’ll pop over, just to see you
Just to see you. I will put some tinsel
in my hair. Stay outside. Wave to you
through your window.
HANNAH LAVERY
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
