PRAISE

Two brief poems of praise this post.
The first was written recently and is about the end of summer, the cycle of the seasons.

The rain surprised me,

ambushed as I was

by my own indolence.

The summer, falling hot,

had led me to believe

such days as these

could go on forever,

until outside of Exeter,

the rain began to freckle the train windows.

The first intimation of what is to come,

the axial tilt and the fall

towards the shortest day.

There is a symmetry here – rejoice.

The second is an older poem that I have been working on for a number of years. That is to say I have never felt that it worked and every so often I pull it out from the pile of half completed poems and fiddle with it some more.
Here is the latest version:

now my four hour drive is forgotten

this winter afternoon

a string of starlings circle the bridge

they wheel and flow in beauty

I praise The Creator

who makes such things possible

I had driven back to Widnes from Taunton, a journey of usually three and a half hours, it had taken me over four and I was feeling fed up. In the afternoon light that winter's day I did see a murmuration of starlings and the journey was worth that moment.

I have been in a Mountain Goats frame of mind this week but I leave you with Vidar Norheim. He has an ep out on the 25th August. You may know him from his work with Lizzie Nunnery. 
You can read my interview with Lizzie here, and my review of their second album here and their last ep here.
Until next time...