Saturday, February 7, 2009

Happy Birthday, Lola Moon

Lola Bloom

********
Lola you are too pure for your mother,
your radiance illuminates the dirt around my mouth.
i talk and the spittle is old.

the clean in your breath is astounding.
how can anyone smell so delicious,
not baked or risen in the oven, not perfumed
with essential oils?
my breath is sour and coffee.

in the morning you say,
'momma your breath is stinky'
when i kiss you.

this is how mothers can grow to envy their daughters,
i see it now, how it happens.
their breasts spring forth in acres of skin,
their minds flexible and unafraid.
their mistakes loom in the future, unsaid,
undone, unknown.

they stand near us, in our arms,
pressed against our aging breasts
and act as if they will never grow old.

Lola i will never fight for what you have,
never cling to your childhood to clean my skin.

Lola i will never covet your boyfriends,
your car rides, your first kiss, your bikini.

you can have the flowers, the fields,
every good and brilliant man who deserves you,
the long looks of admiration, every good
time and every good feeling, in abundance,
in bushels, in gifts of foxglove petals,
the ones we both adore.

in return for knowing you, for being privy
to your luminous beauty and ringing song,
your purity of spirit, your trust,
your raging temper and saucy disobedience,
your penchant for wiping buggers on the wall.
the way your mouth opens like a pink bloom
when you are waking.

Lola i am not a martyr
but for you there is nothing i am afraid to hand over.
( ' Momma? If you had to choose between
chopping off your hand and losing me, what would- '
' -Lola, I'd choose you.)

in a small trick magicked up by love,
your every happiness thrills me,
as the ocean is still and deep and content
beneath the laughing tops of wave, catching the sun.












My daughter is seven years old. Trying to express my love for her is like trying to harness the sea! Happy Birthday Lola. You are the bees knees and we love you more than a big zambonie!
julochka said...

fantastic poem. aren't they wonderful at that age? we must remember to treasure it. :-) happy birthday at your house!

Maggie May said...

yes this age is amazing. she had a big surprise from her dad and brothers and i this morning and we pulled crackers and threw sparkles and put a princess crown on her head. she got her first bike :) purple with butterflies. and tonight we go to her favorite restaurant with family and friends, and then with her best friend we go to buy outfits for their bears. ah!

Unknown said...

Happy Happy Birthday Lola Moon! We love you ever so much and Reef sends extra birthday love, hugs and kisses to you! We have a present waiting for you.

Love,
Auntie Kristi and all the boys

Kate Lord Brown said...

Hello Maggie May - just had to come over and say Happy Birthday to Lola! And to you too - as I just answered your comment, on the Dutch side of the family there's a big tradition of also calling the mothers on the 'Birth Day' that I love. Who doesn't relive (every single year ..?) this was the moment when I knew you were coming into the world, then all the hours but ... magic. Yes, pain, but - oh, miraculous! Love to you all x

Laura Marie said...

Awww....your daughter is adorable...Happy Birthday to her :) ...

And thankyou for the comment on my blog. its nice to know that im not a total wierdo :) ...

<3

Rachael said...

Happy Birthday to your girl!

Irish Gumbo said...

A lovely, lovely poem. Beautiful, like the ma and the daughter :)


(and I am still marveling at the name of this blog: "Flux capacitor" oh, I wish i had thought of that! :)

Lola said...

Such a beautiful tribute to your beautiful daughter.

Happy birthday, Lola Moon! You're my kinda girl, truly.

Captain Dumbass said...

On behalf of Canada, I'd like to wish Lola Moon a very Happy Birthday!

Chaos and love said...

ohh my Lola
Your party dress is fab.
Today, I am now 32 years older than you, hehe

maggie, your words are a tribute to a life that has been enlightened by you. Happy becoming a mama day!

I had my cake and ate it too! Yum.

Veloute said...

Maggie May!! It's so wonderful to see you!

I know, SEVEN! Lola, have a wonderful birthday. You are an amazing soul.

(And how did our babies get to be 7? I have no idea. It's astounding.)

Tiffany said...

Happy Birthday to Lola! 7 is the best age ever, Lola Moon wears it well :o)

Anonymous said...

I'm the Mom of two little girls and this poem expresses so brilliantly what I fail to express. Wonderful!

Fantastic Forrest said...

Way to make me cry. What a marvelous love sonnet. Lola will only fully appreciate it when she has a child of her own.

Your pictures and words are wonderful.

Andrea said...

Happy Birthday to your daughter!! Wonderful photos!! :)

Anonymous said...

Ohh happy birthday Lola! What a lovely poem you wrote for her - great for her to treasure when she's older. 7 was the best age ever!

Holly said...

sooo adorable! i LOVE her outfit in the second pic.

Annie said...

A beautiful poem and beautiful photographs. Happy Birthday to Lola!

Lisa Wheeler Milton said...

A friend of mine sent this post to me today. So very lovely...

michellewoo said...

"Trying to express my love for her is like trying to harness the sea!"

Such powerful imagery.

Happy birthday Lola Moon!

stephanie said...

What an extraordinary tribute to your girl. I'm awed and envious but mostly admiring.

Chopstick said...

I love this. I read it over and over and over again. :)

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