Seashell
As children we knew
It was the sound of the
Sea and the wind when
You held it up.
It had to be from the
Effort of holding
Such an object.
Holding and not just
Leaving there as
If life was not made
From the imagination
As well as from what
You found there.
There, inside the
Spacious world of a
Seashell bountiful with its
Sounds of the sea
And the wind,
And the silence -
Separating
Them.
Elizabeth Oakley
Devotion
Ground mist ebbing and flowing in lower valleys.
Sunlight strengthening overhead between
Bright soft clouds, blue sky.
But time passes
And ever-changing views are always a delight.
Wide fields cropped of grain and
Short stubble glowed bright gold in low sunlight.
Surrounding hedgerows and trees exhibiting dark greens of
Late summer with a small tinge of early autumn colours.
At the long descent - looking down the steep
Hillside into the whole wide valley completely wreathed in
Fine mist - creating an amazing glow, but little visible substance.
By the end, the streets were shrouded in a bright
Pearly-white fog.
On market day stallholders were only just setting up.
The sky began to brighten and low ground fog disperse.
Walking down the hill towards the old market cross
The sun was warming. Some fruit and flower perhaps
To place within the well.
A winding path leading down to a series of cul-de-sacs.
Within the wide grassy areas several small but old
Apple trees hung with green fruit.
A bunch of deep purple grape-like Mahonia aquifolia
Came from the hedgerow.
So too did the horse chestnuts.
It was quiet and very peaceful -
The small waterfall and cascade -
The fruit was placed in the stream and
Camera set for slow shutter speed
Which would blur the flowing water.
Small stones blessed by immersion in the sacred stream,
Placed alongside fruit in flowing water.
Then atop a cherry leaf itself on the water, impregnated
Iron-oxide rich stones.
Placed too a young swan (cygnet's) primary wing feather.
The splashing cascade covered the strong feather
With glistening drops.
Such a contrast between sunlight areas and
Deep shadows beneath old trees around
Fruit and flower covered wellhead.
The usual blessing was held early morning before
The grounds were opened.
Luckily, the day unfolded, the sun was
Warming, and there was no hurry.
It would be interesting to picture the garden in winter -
Perhaps with a frost - and place a candle-lantern into the stream.
Elizabeth
New Worlds
The picture had a stone arched frame.
But it was not normally framed like this.
It was just that the age of faith
Had worked itself to the bone
To create this still standing stone beast
Of a bountiful beautiful building.
Birdsong added to the impression
Of focus of sound and light.
But the impression was incidental really.
Did they have need to bother with the stonework?
For other than the frame
My vision could else have been more
Horizonal than vertical.
That horizontalness did not have a
Tower or a spire.
It did not really float either.
There was plenty of light.
There was birdsong for sure.
Of my strange longing there probably is no cure.
For now.
Elizabeth Oakley
A Dursley Poet