Afternoon stroll

Anxious to avoid the crowds,we strike out
against the flow
of waterproofed children
and umbrellaed parents

up the road
through the dripping trees
and on to the rain-wet
gorse-wet, scented path
around the cliff

into the woods
which are indeed
lovely, dark and deep,
(but I - still -
have promises to keep)

And in the woods I come across
a dozen or so young people,
hemelted, tabarded and weaponed,
playing Lord of the Rings
in the tree-wet green -

Utterly bemused,
the dog reminds them
whose woods these are..
the clash of arms is lost
as we retreat
back around the cliff
with the bird-song sky
to the noise
and bustle of the real world

'..a little space of time..'

In the famous summer of '76 - 'way back when' as they say - I was living in a white L-shaped room at the top of a house on the edge of Cambridge.
I bought a cassette-player - remember them? They were about the size of your copy of Lord of the Rings, weighed more and played 'tapes', of which I had one... I played Art Garfunkel's 'Breakaway' to death all that long, hot, complicated summer. ..
That tape never wore out and was a favourite over many years, through many changes - through children and children growing-up, and quite a few house-moves; it was eventually replaced by the cd..
Now I am lying in a sunny spot in - strangely enough - another white L-shaped room at the top of another house.  'Breakaway' is playing through my mobile phone and a small speaker-system - '..it's the same old me.. but I'm alright, yes I'm alright..'

Gratitude

Blessings come singly, I've noticed,
these slow-down days.

Each one drops
into my astonished heart
and hangs glimmering
shimmering
silver and pearl
in the air and angel light -
to be looked at,
wondering,
from all sides,
turned around, danced,
and treasured

And I am counting them all
one...by...one...

Parked red car

Through my trellis fence,
to my startled morning sight -
scarlet tulip field