The first day of spring;
or so it seemed. An afternoon’s
hard digging behind me, I glance up –
two lapwings splice a sea
of lapis lazuli.
Square wings flap fast –
‘peewit’ they call, each to each,
as, unashamedly, they flirt
as they flit as they fly – now
as one.
On the horizon, a kestrel
trawls a mackerel sky;
nothing more I could want –
right now, but right this moment.
Above the green-sand ridge,
a lazy sun, only then thinks about
going down, and I feel the short,
sharp, slap on my butt...drink in
that first sweet breath, again.
A day-weary moon, nuzzles
at my shoulder...all the way
to the backdoor – setting
far too soon.
Inside, a glass of white wine,
freshly poured; on the settee –
an open book, and a votive,
newly lit, on the mantelpiece.
All between us, understood;
by a candle, and the light it shed.
For here, we are.
Comments
insertponceyfre... | March 20, 2011 - 13:13
Love this one Tina - especially the final stanza
seashore | March 20, 2011 - 13:20
Agree with insert. Nice Sunday thoughts!!
skinner_jennifer | March 20, 2011 - 14:44
Hi Tina,
what a beautiful way to spend a Sunday, you made a
Sunday so poetic and I love the way you gave
yourself time to look around at the lapwings and the
Kestrel as you do your digging, it's the kind of
thing I would do if I was digging.
I really enjoyed reading this poem Tina.
Thankyou.
Jenny.
Silver Spun Sand | March 20, 2011 - 15:34
Thanks so much, insert;-) Have a good Sunday, yourself.
Tina
Silver Spun Sand | March 20, 2011 - 15:36
I guess they are, Coral;-) Every Sunday should be as perfect as this, I agree.
Thanks for your lovely comment.
Tina
Silver Spun Sand | March 20, 2011 - 15:40
Hi there, Jenny;-) Between you and me, it was yesterday, that I had this wonderful experience, but we all need a bit of that old 'poetic licence', don't we?
It was so gloriously sunny, and I was transfixed by these birds, the lapwings especially. Don't know if you've ever heard one, but the sound they make is almost 'electronic' if you get what I mean. They were over our field for a good half and hour with their mating antics, and I had such a stiff neck after looking at them, almost non-stop.
Today, I have sore arms from all my digging, but lovely memories as well.
Many thanks for reading, Jenny, and I hope you have a peaceful Sunday afternoon.
Tina
fatboy74 | March 20, 2011 - 20:39
What a picture you create here Tina, wonderfully done. :-)
Silver Spun Sand | March 20, 2011 - 21:34
Many thanks, fb. Pleased you enjoyed;-)
Tina
Dark Fox | March 20, 2011 - 21:58
I live in the countryside, and I love seeing the birds out of my bedroom window. I have the best view in the world. I have the Malvern Hills and on a sunny Sunday, I love to sit in my back garden and look at the view.
Thank you for the lovely reminder of what beauty I have around me.
Dark Fox
Silver Spun Sand | March 20, 2011 - 22:04
Hi there, Dark Fox;-)
I guess we all need a little reminder sometimes; all too easy as it is to take things for granted.
That was what was so lovely about yesterday. It was a wake-up call, undoubtedly. Hence, the poem.
Really pleased you enjoyed it and thanks, so very much for your lovely comment. The Malvern Hills are beautiful. You are indeed lucky.
Tina
Cavalcaderl | March 20, 2011 - 23:11
New Silver-Spun-Sand
I enjoyed this very much.
Poem of beauty, and what beautiful
bird's you have in your garden
Stanza I like is
Square wings flap fast-
'peewit' they call, each to each,
as, unshamedly, they flirt
as they flit as they fly-now
as one
.
How wonderful.
I heard bird sing to-day, but the
seagull's four about already outside. Usually
at church not been three months, lay
in or up local market. Oh! just seen the cherry!
well deserved.
julie xx
MistakenMagic | March 20, 2011 - 23:48
'On the horizon, a kestrel
trawls a mackerel sky;
nothing more I could want –
right now, but right this moment.'
- love this stanza, Tina! Especially the image of the 'mackerel sky'. A beautiful poem full of joie de vivre, I too love those moments ;)
Magic xxx
Silver Spun Sand | March 21, 2011 - 00:02
Thanks, so much, Julie. Seagulls are birds we don't get here that much. We see them 'over-flying' but they never land.
Have a good week;-)
Tina xx
Silver Spun Sand | March 21, 2011 - 00:06
Hey, Magic. Great to hear from you. I do hope you had a good weekend.
Many thanks for taking time out to read this. As you would gather, I have been enjoying my garden again. Glad you enjoyed a part of it too;-)
Tina xxx
ScoZen | March 21, 2011 - 16:37
Sand Lady.
A well deserved cherry for this one.
I was on the beach on Sunday and found some pieces of glass, sand buffed to a "...lapis lazuli..."
Beautiful, but alas no white wine to go.
Regards
Silver Spun Sand | March 21, 2011 - 17:17
ScoZen, how I envy you;-) But at least I had my white wine.
Many thanks for your lovely comment;-)
Tina
Highhat | March 21, 2011 - 18:26
and "here we are" Tina you certainly take us there and for that I am grateful. I don't get to see much other than gulls and crows but I can hear the small birds in the few trees we have- otherwise everything is still very wintry here in dk- still cold. What is a makerel sky? Could you write a poem about that? Sounds very descriptive. So glad you had a good day in the garden with white wine to follow- perfect. Thanks for the lovely poem sharing this with us
;)Pia
Silver Spun Sand | March 21, 2011 - 18:30
Pia - so pleased you enjoyed this one.
A mackerel sky is when there are small lines of white cloud that are kind of broken up into segments, a bit like a fishes scales. Hence 'mackerel'. Can't think of a better way of describing it. It is usually a sign of unsettled weather, or so I believe. Yes, I might just write a poem about it, some of these days;-)
Tina