Today I walked along the hillside above Loch Long.

Today I walked along the hillside above Loch Long
And felt the sun caress my shoulders with its heated blanket.
I watched the white butterflies dancing, and heard the lazy
Buzzing of the bees; I felt the velvet coolness of a gentle
Breeze, as it whispered its encouragement into my ears.
Today I walked along the hillside above Loch Long.
In the distance I watched the strung out jewels of the cars
And coaches that travelled from Arrochar to Ardgarten,
And from thence up the long slow climb to
Rest-and-be-thankful. They glowed in reds, golds,
Greens and blues in the clear sun-washed air.
Their engines were the bagpipe drones to the high
And insistent call of the soaring buzzards.
Today I walked along the hillside above Loch Long.
I trod with care over the rocks and boulders that
Winter water had tumbled and tossed on the track,
And dodged and jumped the puddles and streams
That still remained on this spring-soon-summer day.
Today I walked along the hillside above Loch Long.
I saw the reflected peaks on the still waters of the
Patient loch, rippled only now and then by the memory
Of the winds that only weeks ago carried rain, snow and
Ice across the surface; I saw the loch, deep, mysterious
And blue with the light of cloud-studded sky.
Today I walked along the hillside above Loch Long.
As I walked I saw all round me the intrusion of man
On nature, and all around me were the bandages of
Healing that nature in her turn provided, the water, rock
And stone, the heather and the grass, the mossy cushions
That cover and repair the damage done by heedless man.
Today I walked along the hillside above Loch Long, and
As I looked south to the sea I realised that there is still
A slender brightly shining thread of hope in this bleak
And terrifying tapestry that we call life.

(c)2ndwitch, 17/05/2018

Stonymollan road

The long stone path, climbing slowly through
Bracken and heather, girt with popping broom,
Turns gently to left and right, always climbing,
Embraced by benevolent trees that filter the
Late summer, or is it early autumn, sun.

The dappled shade leopards the grassy bank
And plays an ephemeral game of hide and seek
On my hands and arms as I write.
The burn, down-flowing, provides the counterpoint, in treble
To the percussive broom, and the bass of distant cars.

Today is just one day, taken out of time, and held
Tight in my empty hands, it escapes my grasping fingers
And dances its onward way, cloud-dotted and pale blue.
Never, no never, again, will I see that bee
Visit the open gloves left by a passing fox.

Never, no never, again will that exact blue bottle
Buzz and bumble on the browning bracken.
But, for ever and ever again, this one
Encapsulated moment will live
In my mind's eye, preserved, a sun-washed memory.

© 05/09/15

Forget-me-not.

A slow walk, paced step by step, to the floating notes
Of a mournful slow air, in a minor key,
That keens with the wind.
Looking round, and everywhere there are people
In two, hand in hand, or side by side.
People arguing, laughing, sharing comments
And glances, complete, a circle that cannot
Be broken.
And the slow walk, alone, paced neatly, mind
And heart fixed on anything but the obvious.
"Wouldn't you rather be dancing,
When there's a chance of romancing?"
And which of us wouldn't, really.
Which of us, the silent lonely ones would
Not love to feel an arm round our shoulders
Sometimes?
Which of us does not wish that someone would
Tell us "You got my number"
And hope that we call?
The world is smaller when you are on your own.
You are dependent, and that causes problems,
It causes all sorts of problems, and it makes
The keeping of friends harder and harder.
For they do not understand.
Or are content together.
The world is designed for couples.
If you are not a couple, then you do not fit.
If you do not fit, then the world rejects you.
Condemned to a life of people watching.
And a slow walk, to the music of time,
Beating slow and with a death march sound,
Keening condemnation in a minor key.

© 2ndwitch, 26/02/15

(I suppose I ought to apologise for the photo that accompanies this - not to the general reader, but to the guys who are part of the band pictured - so I kinda do. I won't name the band, but I will say that one of the quotes used above is from one of their songs, which is why I used this photo. I could not choose the singer of the other quote, as I have never taken his photo - yet!)