THE SURREY HILLS

 

I walked along a hill top path

With my old dog Jake

Beneath a cloudless sky of azure blue

The path led us into a sparsely wooden copse

Its leafy canopy defused the strong sun

And provided welcome shade

I decided to rest a while in the cool shadows

I slipped off my back pack

And sat against a trees trunk

I wiped the sweat from my brow

Before taking a bottle from my pack

I poured water into a bowl for Jake

And took a generous swallow for myself

Then I lit my pipe and relaxed

In an aromatic cloud and enjoyed the scene

Specks of sunlight dappled the ground

And midges danced around the sunbeams

As Jake chased the shadows

The time came to move along

And we followed the path back into the sun

And onward along the ridge

After a long slow crawl up the ever steepening path

We reached the summit and were duly rewarded

To see the countryside stretching far to the south

Spread like a great patchwork quilt

This perfect view from the Surrey hills

PEBBLES SMOOTH

 

Pebbles smooth,

Like crude glass

Smoothed by nature

Time and tide

Its patterned form

Marbled in style

Sits comfortably

In the fingers

To be skimmed

Back to the ocean

 

VOLCANOES ARE TERRIFYING

 

Volcanoes are terrifying

Just the thought of them is frightful

But pyroclastic eruptions

That’s just Nature at its most spiteful

IN THE WATER MEADOW

 

In the water meadow

The Mayflies pirouette

On gossamer wings.

A pair performs a duet

As they dance their

Ephemeral vignette

AMIDST THE REEDS AND RUSHES

 

Amidst the reeds and rushes

Dragonflies hover by the river still

Where the weeping willows

Drooping branches spill

THE RIVER WATERS

 

The river waters

Take their time

Slowly meandering

Through fragrant meadows

Copse and wood

Rural idylls all

Where time stands still.

Swans use a quiet ait

As an islet sanctuary

But the quiet waters

Though slow of purpose

Have no time to dwell

And are reluctantly

Bound for the sea

ABOVE A MOONLIT MEADOW

 

Above a moonlit meadow

The stars begin to shine

As I plight my troth in earnest

And hope to make you mine