Seasonal Hinterland

 

Diamond drops of light

Fallen from leftover orange sunrise

Glitter the petals

Of doodled flower on red car bonnet;

Where childish finger

Traced rivulets in chilly, condensed dew

That will dry later,

Loopy petals fading out to nothing.

 

Sun, mounted half mast,

Squatting at pupil shrivelling level

Mourns the passing of

Bright early mornings and long easy nights.

Conversations with

Strangers in queues see us discussing the

Validity of

Switching the heating back on – now? Not yet.

 

Lawns at Axwell Park

Dotted with Canada Geese; S-bend necks

And quarrelling beaks

Guzzling the last of summers green shoots;

Break in migration

Before flicking choreographed V sign

At decay beneath,

Unmusical honking just audible.

 

 

Swans on glassy pond

Split floating islands of confetti leaves

With drifting white prows,

To gather near granddad and child, with bread.

Overgrown babies

Trail behind downy soft, ice white parents;

Signets almost grown -

Youth betrayed by sepia tinged feathers.

 

Fields, scalped of their corn;

Giant, acne pocked cheeks lying cut, stubbled,

Along the roadsides -

Harvested Samsons - tired, shorn of their strength.

Unhinged gate decays,

Rusty red oxide corrosion colour

Now no longer so

Incongruous against the dying greens.