Two (after a photograph by Andrew Wurster)

(For @facelikethunder and baby T. Also based on suggestions from @greenspace01, @GretasTARDIS, Peter Punch, and @matchtrick)

Picture a photo of father and sun,

unaware of the lens in each other’s eyes.

Could be anyone’s back verandah,

someone might be just out of shot,

feeding the cat or the grandparents or the newborn.

Swirls of domestic and social multiply our heads.

It's good to escape your own chaos, leave behind

mountainous doonas, jungles of dirty undies and socks,

hundreds of unwatched Scottish doctors on dvd.

Infinite cheeses and dirty wine glasses.

To see instead: two held softly in curved glass.

Captured breathing out slowly: pacem.

The baby has real hands now; has fingers

with purpose. Plays natural symphonies

on his father’s collarbones. His virtual tenori-on.

Ordinary fragments of afternoon

cyclone around, thirty voices clamour;

they are calm. Eye to quiet

eye of the storm.

Still, and forever that brief frame.

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Today's poem, as mentioned, is based on the lovely photograph of @facelikethunder and his son T. at the top of today's post, taken by Andrew Wurster (You can buy @awurster's book here plug plug). Today's poem is also based on suggestions from four peeps (well, 2 peeps, one cousin peep, and one uncle peep)

@greenspace01: "Feeding babies, cats and elderly parents

@GretasTARDIS: "i say, the Scottish and big doonas."

Peter Punch, via @GretasTARDIS: "Dad wants to add 'dirty socks and underpants' to whichever #poemsbyrequest comes next." (Typical. My family, let me show you it.)

@matchtrick: "*ahem* Virtual tenori-on. *nudge*"

A tenori-on is an electronic musical instrument composed of a grid of 16 by 16 LED switches that you play buy touching the squares to build up a repeating pattern on notes and beats. It makes such pretty sounds and you can make music out of pictures! I really want one. If you need further convincing, watch Bill Bailey with his tenori-on, then have a go yourself at the virtual one (warning: you may end up staying up really late once you start playing with it).

Thanks to Andrew and Jerry for their generous permission to post the photo.