Michael Edwards - my writing day

     3:59 am - My wife and I wake-up as our toddler, up too early, enters our bedroom. He wants to play and tries to climb into the baby’s crib.

     4:03 am - After trying to convince our toddler to go back to sleep, it’s clear no tricks or magic will have any effect.

     4:10 am - I play with the train-set and Duplo with our toddler in his room. Then switch to reading some Robert Munsch stories. And back to the toys again. Around and around.

     The next 3 hours or so are a blur of coffee, breakfast, trying to dress the toddler, trying to dress toddler again. 

     7:45 am - I have a shower. Get ready for work. Toddler is finally dressed, baby is dressed. My wife and I take the children downstairs to the double stroller.

     8:10 am - After much wrangling, tears and temper tantrums, we make it outside. Both children are in the double stroller, fastened, the little one cries and is soon asleep. We all walk together to my workplace. Kisses goodbye all around. My workday begins.

     At Lunch - Take a break and I jot some stuff in my notebook. Read a selection of Nelson Ball poems and check-in, the home fires burning - under control. My wife says both children are asleep, down for nap. A minor miracle.

     Day job over. I leave for home, walking. On the way, I notice two leaves that look like little hands folded on the ground. Take out notebook. Make a scribble. I arrive home to both children awake from nap. Take the toddler out for a bike ride, then to the playground. Along the way, he has to stop at and inspect all the fire hydrants. Who knew these things could be so cool? Red with blue tops. Red with green tops. With yellow tops. And on.

    5:45 pm - Dinner rolls around and we have leftovers. We thank the heavens, because it’s something the toddler will actually eat.

     After dinner, bath for toddler. I get him dressed in pajamas. There is plenty of playing in his room. My wife, my wonderful, wonderful treasure-of-a-love, puts the baby to sleep. I do the same with our toddler after many, many storybooks. He’s a bookworm. Great victory. He wants one more book. Just one more book, Daddy. Ok now, one more book, Daddy.

    7:48 pm -  Toddler is finally asleep and baby is asleep. Wife and I relax and decompress for a bit.

    8:11 pm -  I sit down at my writing desk.

    

    8:15 pm - Emails have been checked and news websites scrolled. The headlines I quickly forget. I then review my day’s notebook scratchings and dig into my latest drafts of poems in progress.

    9:47 pm - Nearly at the point of exhaustion. Words blend together and my brain calls it a night. I pick-up a volume, Heaney’s Electric Light and let his words wash over me as I slide into some zone between consciousness and sawing logs. Off to bed soon after.

Michael Edwards is an emerging poet/writer and young dad living on unceded Coast Salish Territory in Vancouver, BC. He is currently in The Writer's Studio at Simon Fraser University under the mentorship of poet Kayla Czaga. After bath and bedtime, he can be found writing, reading and honing his poetic craft. His work has been described as “quiet, reflective,” and “meditative.” And aiming high, parenting goals include, raising wonderful, literate children who care for this earth.