Gordon Baird has a memory that’s like a sponge.
Without much effort, Baird can recall all the games he played as a child, the places he visited and exactly when he moved to Maple Ridge.
He remembers fondly each cup of tea he drank with his mother, Nellie Gale Baird.
“It’s mainly attributable to my mother’s 90th birthday,” says Baird, contemplating the inspiration for his first book of poetry while sitting on a bench in the sunshine at the Ridge Meadows Association for Community Living Office in downtown Maple Ridge.
The 30-poem oeuvre, penned by Baird with help from Christine Logan, is full of short, catchy rhymes and verse that capture snippets of his life.
Just as its title says, the book is a “Special Tribute to Mothers Everywhere.”
It’s a salute to mothers and all the nice things they do for you, whether it’s baking cookies, kissing away nightmares or tying your shoes.
It’s Baird’s legacy to his best friend and mom.
“I loved her very much,” he says.
Stirred by clouds and drinking tea, Baird chose to write about all the things he cares about – his friends and family.
He threw in a little ditty about a rubber ducky, just to lighten the mood.
Rubber Ducky is probably one of the favourite poems in the book, although choosing just one poem from 30 is a daunting task.
“Because it’s funny,” Baird says, noting he doesn’t want people to feel sad all the time.
Baird asked Logan to write the book with him last year after attending a book signing for her first collection of poetry titled To Touch Your Heart.
Logan, who was working as one of Baird’s support workers at the time, didn’t hesitate when asked. When she sat down with Baird, the words flowed rather quickly.
She only collaborated or prompted Baird when needed.
“The first poem we did we succeeded within minutes,” says Logan.
“I was surprised by how easy it was with our thoughts combining with one and another. I can really see Gord when I read these poems.”
In four months, Baird had penned 30 poems and was eager to publish the book by Christmas to gift to his family.
“They are really thrilled that he’s got this accomplishment under his belt,” says Logan.
She just completed her third collection of poems in the span of a year. Logan began writing poetry again after reading three poems she wrote in high school, which she had held onto for years.
Her short, beautiful poems are meant to inspire.
“I am inspired by the people I meet and the experiences that I go through,” says Logan, who hopes her poetry helps people overcome sadness. She wants to tells people not to give up and no matter how hard or trying life may seem to keep on having faith.
“The simplest things in our life can mean a lot,” she says.
• Special Tribute to Mothers Everywhere is available at Little Cricket Gift Gallery and Black Bond Books in Maple Ridge or online at http://cloganinsideinspiration.com. You can also get it as an e-book on Amazon's Kindle site.
Book Signing
Christine Logan will be signing copies of her first book “To Touch Your Heart” in Kelowna at Chapters on Saturday, July 28 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.