A poem for the arrival of first granddaughter.
by Rick Boychuk
JUNIPER in MARCH
Comes now a child of winter
Daughter of the cold, a berry beginner
A boreal baby, grounded in Gatineau granite
An infant whose smile will light up the planet
A new star for the family constellation
A little sister, to John River’s elation
Blessed with a diverse genetic inheritance
A rich co-mingling, according to the available evidence
We are certain of indigenous American, Colombian, Irish, German and Ukrainian
And suspect sprinklings of Spanish, Greek, Italian and Scandinavian
There’s more, too, obtained through marital acquisition
Step-grand- and great-grandparents ushered in via family re-formation
This girl will have no shortage of instructing adults
Her challenge will be deciding whom to consult
First, though, will be making a space for herself in the house
Amidst cat, dog, brother, parents and occasional mouse
The landscape of her childhood, Cantley’s valleys and hills
To roam and explore in hothouse heat and sub-arctic chills
She’ll learn from Mom’s clever craftwork
And Dad’s gardening and creative woodwork
Brother John will have to adapt and adjust
And learn to share every hug and crust
Raise a glass to this familial shift
Juniper’s arrival a well-timed gift
Comes now a child of winter
Daughter of the cold, a berry beginner
A boreal baby, grounded in Gatineau granite
An infant whose smile will light up the planet
A new star for the family constellation
A little sister, to John River’s elation
Blessed with a diverse genetic inheritance
A rich co-mingling, according to the available evidence
We are certain of indigenous American, Colombian, Irish, German and Ukrainian
And suspect sprinklings of Spanish, Greek, Italian and Scandinavian
There’s more, too, obtained through marital acquisition
Step-grand- and great-grandparents ushered in via family re-formation
This girl will have no shortage of instructing adults
Her challenge will be deciding whom to consult
First, though, will be making a space for herself in the house
Amidst cat, dog, brother, parents and occasional mouse
The landscape of her childhood, Cantley’s valleys and hills
To roam and explore in hothouse heat and sub-arctic chills
She’ll learn from Mom’s clever craftwork
And Dad’s gardening and creative woodwork
Brother John will have to adapt and adjust
And learn to share every hug and crust
Raise a glass to this familial shift
Juniper’s arrival a well-timed gift
Juniper Wilde Boychuk
Born: 3:24 pm, March 18
8 lbs, 4.8 oz
Parents: Jennifer Castro and Jasper Boychuk
Born: 3:24 pm, March 18
8 lbs, 4.8 oz
Parents: Jennifer Castro and Jasper Boychuk
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