Ode for my doteen

by Deirdre Shine
(Ireland)

Ode for my doteen

Hush my dear doteen you need not stir
for I will wrap you up in this cosy warm fur
for it like the darkness is a blanket to keep you safe and secure
when you touch it you can feel reassured.

The dark will not hurt you my love,
There is no need to peep
It lets your beautiful eyes drift into soothing sleep.
For your eyes need to be peaceful my love,
To see the treasures we will see
Like the waves dancing and your favourite old oak tree.

And if you should start,
When you sense the dark
Try to imagine the big sandcastles we will build
with our red flags decorating the top.
Shut your eyes tight and imagine the old swing
That is really just a tyre dangling on some stringy-thing
But what fun we will have as we twist in that tyre!
And can you see us sipping our hot chocolate with marshmallows
As we sit snugly around the bonfire?
You need to keep your eyes shut my love,
To really really see the last treacle of sunlight
Fading behind our old oak tree
For the tree like your eyes needs the darkness to rest
So that tomorrow when the sunrises it can look its very best

Hush my dear doteen, you need not stir
For I will wrap you up in this cosy warm fur
For it like the darkness is a blanket to keep you and safe and secure.
When you touch it you can feel reassured.
Good night my love,
Bon soir, mon amor...

('Doteen' is a pet word used in the west of Ireland and it means ‘my pet’ or ‘my love.’ It is pronounced like the musical note ‘doe’, 'en' in Irish makes something smaller therefore ‘dote’ would mean my love whereas doteen would mean ‘my little love ‘ to denote child/young person. )