Five Photos. Five Stories. Day 5
Thank you Calen at Impromptu Promptlings for nominating me for this fun challenge. For anyone who hasn’t seen Calen’s lovely inspiring site, I recommend that you check it out now.
the leaves are an emerald mural
etched across the sky
a fresh pinch of air pricks the nose
and imparts a thrilling discomfort
giving a single clue
that summer has finished
the finest wild harvest of the year
will soon detach
from the sweet chestnut trees
their chubby-fingered leaves
will crisp and curl
to make a rustling brown game
for children to kick through
but I will not be here to see it
I hear the hoot
of the steam train
as it draws near
hidden from sight
by the bulk of Wild Boar Wood
as it enters the clearing
I wave for one final time
but the season is ended
and the train is empty
except for the engineer and fireman.
the fireman returns my wave
in his regular friendly way
I watch the thick white steam
as it teems from the chimney,
a widening column that thins to grey
and then disappears gradually
long before the train is distanced
into silence
I walk the woodland paths,
running lightly down the stairway I built
as I recall the weight
of each rough timber I placed
so that our guests may climb the hill in safety.
I nod
my silent farewells
to the boggy pit below
and to my fairy glen,
so recently vacated
by those cheery winged figures
I stand with my hand on the car door
facing the the woodland
gazing through the trees,
memorising the scene
that this welcoming vision
may warm me through the winter
next spring
the bluebells
will splash their bright petals
across the wild floor,
the hazel and birch
and their mighty friends
will uncurl fresh baby hands
in sun worship.
the brambles
will redouble their efforts
to smother the tents
and I will return
© Jane Paterson Basil
The Five Photos, Five Stories Challenge rules require you to post a photo each day for five consecutive days and attach a story to the photo. It can be fiction or non-fiction, a poem or simply a short paragraph – it’s entirely up to you.
Then each day, nominate another blogger to carry on this challenge.
Accepting the challenge is entirely up to the person nominated, it is not a command. Today, I’m inviting Arundhati at Sandcastle to join the challenge.
That is very beautiful and a little sad. I was right there walking with you. I walked many similar scenes when I was little. But we always came back for a vase full of autumn leaves.
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i’m a family person, and it was hard for me being 200 miles from home, and yet each time a went home for a flying visit was desperate to be with my trees in the wood. I was greedy, and wanted it all! I live in a beautiful rural area, but Wild Boar Wood was special.
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It is sad when the seasons change, and I could feel that sadness in your words.
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I’d had a wonderful summer, living in a tent in those woods, but it was time to go home, and leave a place which I had fallen deeply in love with. I was longing to see my family, but it was a wrench.
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Lovely poem and a lovely and fitting end to the challenge. You’ve given us an inspiring week
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Thank you so much! That last one was hard work, because it was past 2am by the time I posted it, and I had’nt got around to going to bed the previous night, being too busy writing. The words were blurring as I edited it. I was shattered.
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Talk about dedication! Get some sleep lady 🙂
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Your poem leaves me feeling that mixed feeling of leaving a good place and time, and heading home, bitter-sweet.
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That is exactly how it was. I’ll be returning in April, although only for 3 weeks as I can’t spare more time this year. I long to stand among those trees again.
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Your words leave me spellbound every time, and I find it hard to express how I feel after reading, specially your poems.
Thanks for the nomination Jane, I really needed this push right now to be regular again. And this challenge sounds fun and interesting. I want to give it a go from tomorrow, if I’m not too late already. Am I ?
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No of course it’s not too late. It’s good to see you again. Thank you for agreeing to do the challenge. It is a really nice one, and it’s perfect for you because you take lots of photos anyway.
I’ll look forward to your posts.
And thank you for the lovely things you said about my poems!
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Reblogged this on By the Mighty Mumford and commented:
AH YES… I remember those season ending well…! ;D
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Have you worked on campsites?
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Summer camp…also at a train museum.
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A summer camp must be so rewarding, and I love the idea of being surrounded by old trains. I’m English, and trains, though magical and romantic were never as important in England as in America.
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Thank you Jonathan, for reblogging this
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I’ll have to try it! 😀 Is there still time????
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