Pittville Mount Park ~ High Summer
In Six Parts
I
The Park is peaceful this evening.
Mown lawns and sweeping meadows,
The fragrance of grasses on the air,
The great and high trees
cathedral-like reflection in the waters.
Evensong - a host!
A choir even!
Birdsong
as beautiful as any
Cantata or Aria
There is peace here.
No regard to heightened life is given.
No thought of petty squabbles
in politics and differing opinions.
Two
Rather, there is life
Real life in the Park,
Life that stands the test of time.
Life that recognises
the very core of our Universe
~ C r e a t i o n ~
Yes, perpetual cycle no less.
Life begets life.
Death returns life.
Death, a mere gateway,
back from whence Life came,
and at an allotted hour
to return there.
and time, times and half again
- as it is written - [i]
returning a new cycle,
and thus immortality
reaching across a billion dimensions
Three
The trees are still.
The colours and shades of green
beyond imagination,
seeming to defy the artist's palette.
People stand around,
The enjoyment of spontaneous unplanned conversations,
chance encounters,
brief meetings;
dogs of all kinds
sitting, standing, sniffing, playing,
and waiting patiently;
the walk resuming.
Runners - all ages
one or two olympian
most - well, ten out of ten for effort ;)
Four
No wind.
No breeze even, this Wednesday evening.
On Monday evening a movement in the branches
~ seemingly Godlike ~
easily I see in the branches
the long frills of summer gowns,
and in the silver birches
delicate lace
of young Cheltonian ladies
an age ago;
that time of temporary peace between the Wars
when people held their breath
- the war to end all wars - is surely true?!?!
For feel the peace and tranquility
of this Parkland,
These lakes and ponds,
Our proud aviary… …
until the heralds of history future
announce their rude and deadly arrival!
Five
In the distance
a motor cycle
Close by a quiet cycle
ambles by free-wheeling
unaware of extended feet from Williams's bench
and, feeling adventurous,
suddenly swings right
and crosses the bridge by the boating house
free and happy ...
Oh I haven't done that in sixty years!
I must do it again
But next time methinks I need to keep an eye on extended toeses!
I'll wear my glasses!
Oh my!! What a glorious evening.
Gertrude, they may call you ‘Flying Gert’ old girl
but you're my champion, my steed
Oooooooh I feel all young again...
And off she merrily goes
'giggling' and Gert’s bell
doing all its worth to keep up with
Betty’s persistent thumbing!
Six
Come!
It's the candle hour
and time to catch the news,
and sip the fresh green tea,
and ... oh go on ... just this once
...a chocolate finger ... or two or ... Yes.
But not the box!
[i] Daniel 7:25, Daniel 12:7, Revelation 12:14
21 October 2022
All Rights Reserved
© Kenneth Thomas Webb 2022
23 June 2016, 8.40 pm
Seated on the Bench by the lake placed there in memory of Michael and Wendy Williams
Ken Webb is a writer and proofreader. His website, kennwebb.com, showcases his work as a writer, blogger and podcaster, resting on his successive careers as a police officer, progressing to a junior lawyer in succession and trusts as a Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives, a retired officer with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, and latterly, for three years, the owner and editor of two lifestyle magazines in Liverpool.
He also just handed over a successful two year chairmanship in Gloucestershire with Cheltenham Regency Probus.
Pandemic aside, he spends his time equally between his city, Liverpool, and the county of his birth, Gloucestershire.
In this fast-paced present age, proof-reading is essential. And this skill also occasionally leads to copy-editing writers’ manuscripts for submission to publishers and also student and post graduate dissertations.
