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Dear Ristin

Stephen Chinnock

13 January 2021

Shall I try honesty again
Thank you so much for valuing that

I had a great day
With the littlest
Of my three much loved boys
Sunjai Amandeep by name

That gorgeous child lives in the moment
Ever present and commented on
Never a blip in his perception of right now
What lessons he teaches me

We ate ice cream at that overwhelming
Wonderful chocolate shop
On the corner in Milton
Took a gift of chocolates divine

For my much loved Filippo
Chef extraordinary
At the Guild Restaurant
Well received in a typical busy twelve hour day

We moved on to that wonderful community pool
For Pin Drops into the water
Twenty times at least
Each producing the best smile

Onto to Mollymook
For calamari and chips
Fresh orange juice with ice
Vacuumed up with great pleasure

Home at last to the rumpus room
So full of possibilities for little boys
To create and build, read and paint
Play Chinese checkers and Chess

Papà came to take those boys home
After conversations of his relocation from Venezuela
Dearest man who has created
A wonderful new food garden for me

So why Ristin do I sit here now
With my glass of Chardonnay
Tears streaming down my face
A heady cocktail of confused emotions

Perhaps its just a final rinsing out
Of the ashes in my heart and soul
Learning the hard way
To let go of loss

I like all of us bushfire survivors
Need to stack up the beauty
To send that despair packing away
Loving the day as the little ones show

But wait there’s a portent
Two beautiful fat white headed pigeons
Came to drink from my bird bath right now
That’s a blessing I can’t ignore!

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