Times are Tough by Helen Mckinney

These days are not easy ones

but, look,

the garden, full of colour and life

with my little one running through the grass,

squeals of delight

rising up

in the air

like bubbles.

Birds and bubbles,

an old broken ball and a box of bright paints all blended together.

Amber. My darling girl.

She is my lesson

My gift of clichés in this dark world.

She makes me see

there is always light

and something to learn,

a reason to laugh!

Times are tough.

But we are not lost and

life is so beautiful if you just

try and look hard enough.

Helen Mckinney grew up in Manchester, UK, before travelling to Indonesia for a year to explore herself and the world. She finally settled in Carpi, Italy in 2007, where she found a home away from home. She has been there ever since and has recently rediscovered her love for writing and poetry, dividing her time between her family, her students and her passion.