The beginning of it all: The Dance

10 December, 2018

The Dance

For Olivia

It was a plain, white, plastic carrier bag.

Once it had proudly borne a takeaway, or perhaps some vegetables from the market

But emptied of its purpose it was just

a plain, white, plastic carrier bag.

Unremarkable and unremarked.

Except that is, by me.

Because me it was who fortune favoured with the sight

of that plain carrier bag in flight

Dancing

                  Whirling giddy on eddies of wind

                  round and round

                  bobbing, weaving

                  soaring high into the grey sky

                  then diving

                  again and again

                  trapped in the corner of the multi-storey car park staircase.

Just for me, right then and there, the greatest show on Earth

                                                                                          I stood, I admired, I applauded

                                                                                          recorded the moment in my mind.

And years later I write this for you, my wonderful, dancing daughter.

And maybe in years to come you will read this with a wonderful, dancing child of your own.

                                    And in doing this we have proof absolute

                                    that we can put an end to single-use plastic.­­­