'Blessing for a Child' by Jo Bell
Blessing for a Child
When we first heard Jo Bell read this poem (reprinted at the bottom of this page) in Nottingham, we immediately knew that it would make the perfect card for new babies and for reading at naming ceremonies. It is both incredibly touching and also uplifting. We think new parents or grandparents would really appreciate it, and if there is to be a christening or naming ceremony, we honestly can’t think of a more beautiful poem to read out loud and/or to send guests home with.
Jo Bell is an award-winning poet and performer, and former director of National Poetry Day. She is the author of a number of collections of poetry and poetry-related books, and was the inaugural Canal Laureate for the Canal & River Trust and The Poetry Society.
The illustration is by Pauline Lucas, a Nottingham-based artist, print-maker and art historian.
The words inside...
Blessing for a Child
Yes, there will be times when you will have to fight.
We cannot spare you that. But then, there might
be times when you can hardly breathe for laughing.
There might be frogs in ponds to wonder at, and bumblebees
and opportunities to disappear your toes in sinking sands.
Later on, there might be days when chestnut trees are still and fat
beside a river, or the motorway. There might be beer
in paper cups, and people throwing frisbees in the park.
You might come cold and tired from work, to find
that someone's run a bath. You might see hawthorn
in an English hedgerow; catch an urban dawn
or go to bed quite drunk, with arms around you;
might feed a private hedgehog by the door one night.
There might be snowfall, bonfires, dragonflies: a hug.
And yes, there will be rain but then, there might
be rainbows. We'll be with you. You will be alright.
by Jo Bell
Some small details about this card
Blank Inside.
Small letter stamp in UK.
Hand-embossed envelope.
Card, envelope and sleeve can be recycled.
Card sourced from paper mill in the Lake District, UK.