Treasure your holidays

in Llandudno, Alice.

Skip along the promenade,

play tag on the beach

and when it’s time for bed

wave goodnight to the sea

as it drinks the sunset.

Go boating on the Thames.

Paddle your fingers.

Listen to stories, doze.

Chase a talking white rabbit

sporting white kid gloves.

Take tea with a dormouse,

play croquet with a Queen:

this isn’t your dream

but makes you smile.

Don’t wish too hard

for womanhood,

it arrives soon enough.

You’ll be feted, adored,

posed as holy Agnes,

noble Alethea.

Then, with dreaming eyes of wonder                 

discover Alice

through your own looking-glass.

© Sheila Jacob

Picture 10222601, photograph by C L Dodgson (Lewis Carroll), circa 1862

Sheila Jacob was born and raised in Birmingham, and lives with her husband in North Wales. She has three children and five grandchildren. She resumed writing poetry in 2013 after a long absence and considers herself to be an old new poet. She’s had poems published in Sarasvati, The Dawntreader, The Cannon’s Mouth, Clear Poetry, The Poetry Shed and on The Poetry School Blog.