I once believed I’d poured my deepest love and faith,
into the four lives I helped bring forth.
But life replete with its trickster grace
has given me six reasons more.
Each grandchild, a mirror, a wonder, a mystery,
a new dawn breaking – on an old, old shore.
.
Not replacements. Not echoes.
But glimmers
of Lee, of Madz, of Saul,
each replayed in brand-new symphonies
of mischief, majesty, and awe.
And of course there’s Jon
for whom there’s hope in every heartbeat
not for a child necessarily
but for joy in partner’s sensitivities.
For love that grounds and gives him wings,
for peace within the life he’s served.
Luci brings him that quiet fire,
a symmetry he’s long deserved.
For that no crib, nor curls required
Just love’s most sacred curve.
.
Lee’s Maximus, extracts the max
from every hour, every chance, every game.
He dives into life with open arms,
and rises with medals, never with shame.
He plays with grit, but lives with grace
a boy becoming legend with a grin.
He bears his name like a quiet anthem,
to give his all – working to win.
Max is Lee’s calm thunder;
a bear who listens before he roars.
Tackling the biggest or tackling maths
he leads with mind and heart, not mere force.
Smart and kind, a captain’s soul
my first grandson, my life revived
His daddy dubbed me “YodaPops”,
Max helped me give it life!
.
Leonardo: lion by name and lion by soul,
majestic and wild, yet tender and true.
He roars with laughter, leaps into holes
but, he guards what’s sacred – as lions do.
He’s restless, bold, and full of fire,
but loyal as the summer’s sun.
The heart of a pride beats in his chest
and I’m so proud to call him grandson.
Leo’s mind, fast and bright,
a dancer on life’s high ledge.
His questions burst like fireworks,
his truths arrive without hedge.
He used to call me “Plop-plops”
at which the whole family laughed
I still see Leo’s ‘truth revealing smirk’
Coz he’s right – he sees the daft!
.
Ifè, whose name is Yoruba gold –
it says love, but means much more.
It’s love that dances, love that sings,
love knocking on every door.
Ifè gives it freely, takes it deeply,
wears it proudly like a crown.
She is her name – not just its meaning,
but the pulse from which love flows around.
Ifè beams like sunshine’s child,
a whirlwind hug in human form.
She loves aloud and lives out loud
a walking, talking, joyful storm.
To her, I am her “Yo-yo,”
and should my heart fall like blossom
She is the songs her mummy hums
to raise my heart again to “awesome”!
.
Hera, a name divine – a goddess,
growing, day by day.
She does not shout to claim her realm;
her power flows a gentler way.
She reigns in stillness, rules by calm,
her magic wraps the world in peace.
And when she climbs on to my lap,
all storms and noises cease.
Hera — oh Hera
the hush beneath the hymn.
A curl against my chest,
a quiet world that folds me in.
Little fuss, no flash, just peace and trust
the softest kind of might
Her Yo-yo’s learned, love need not be loud
to fill a room with light.
.
And then the twins — twin stars, twin moons
orbiting in tandem grace.
Aurelian, curiosity in every gaze,
as if he’s walked from some old, wise place.
He can sit alone or play with joy,
and smiles with knowing eyes —
a sage in toddler’s overalls,
the calm to still chaotic skies.
Aurelian, child of ancient flame,
named for emperors, cloaked in light.
Aurelius means “golden one,”
and truly, he reflects that right.
Not one to rule with shout or sword,
but with a quiet, knowing gleam,
a thinker, a watcher, a gentle king,
thoughts governed by generous dreams.
.
Zora, the dawn, the first warm blush
sets the sky on fire each day.
Her Slavic name means “sunrise,”
and she was born just that way.
She brings the light, guards her joy,
commands her world with dazzling might.
When Zora smiles, the dark surrenders
and everything becomes more bright.
Zora is my firebird, bold and fierce
commands her space with smiles and tears.
The world must know when she is wronged,
but, when all is right and rhyme –
her glee becomes a glittering stream,
makes the world feel so fine.
She loves like a queen bestowing gifts,
I’m so honoured she’s one of mine.
.
You lot – (my kids) may think I’ve swapped allegiance,
my compass now points to grandkids, in the main
but here’s the truth:
through each small hand holding mine,
I get to hold your hands again.
Through every laugh, each ‘bye for now’ hug,
your babyhoods return as an ongoing chain.
I’ve loved you once as babes in arms
and now I get to love you twice.
Through these new lives you’ve helped create,
you let me taste the sweetest slice
of time’s long feast:-
to be here still,
to help the roots entwine and grow,
to whisper legends down the family tree,
be sure they learn what love can show.
.
So let this be my pledge, my song;
that these six souls, each born from love,
will know each other deep and strong,
a family forest bound by roots above.
I hope I live to see them grown,
to watch them walk their chosen ways.
But if I don’t, then let them know
their lives lit-up my final days.
There’s no more space upon my shoulders
for small feet to ride and reign.
But now my heart has grown six hammocks
and each one holds a name.
Max and Leo, Ifè and Hera,
Zora bright and Aurelian wise,
each one lifts my life again,
like sunrise splits open the skies.
And maybe one day, when I’m a tale
they tell around their dinner spread,
they’ll say they learned to love like this,
because of something YodaPops said.
The words of Peter Akinwunmi (Peter Ak'i) 