Saturday, June 29, 2013

Island Home


I wish I could walk the track
back to my old island home.
Retreat to childhood haunts -
beech wood forests full of birds and briars
and the fantasy thrill of bears
living in the root rooms
made from fallen trees.

I'd wander from the village,
along the lane,beside the sea loch,
its greedy mouth
full of black rock teeth,
sucking sea and sea life
through its narrow gorge.

At the gate, the portal to day dreams,
I'd find my wellies in a bush,
and trudge down the track,
into the wood, past a bit that always smelled
of almonds. I never knew why.

Where the forest had not ventured,
a meadow, scattered with wild flowers,
and butterflies wove colours in the air,
and around the bend a small bridge
which gave way to the shore,
all mud and seaweed and seagulls
standing ankle deep,
their beady eyes, heartless.

And on the horizon were floating islands,
their unstable appearance
an optical illusion,
their names always alluring -
The Dutch Man's Cap, Eigg,
Canna, Muck and Rhum.

For a moment I am there.

(bird, unstable, bend, retreat, bridge, wild, rock, bear, lane, fallen, meadow, island)

14 comments:

  1. It would be wonderful if we could visit some places from home. Especially to see " butterflies wove colours in the air" !

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  2. For a moment, I think I was there, too. Very visual piece.

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  3. The weeks words brought back childhood memories for me, too. Yours is a beautiful poem and beautiful memories. Liked the names of the islands.

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  4. I too was there for a moment through your words! I enjoyed this walk with you back to your island home!Tanka Whirl

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  5. Oh! Oh! I just have to stop reading right now and tell you how much I ADORE the image of bears living in root rooms of fallen trees. Okay, now I'll go reread and finish.

    This is beautiful writing, all the way through. Your rich descriptions of sights, sounds, and smells took me there with you. Thank you for this glimpse into that island world.

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  6. You triggered all the senses with this one!

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  7. Vivid images for all of the senses. Thank you letting us share your memories and experience.

    Elizabeth
    http://soulsmusic.wordpress.com/2013/06/30/wild-gift/

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  8. I think I would like to be there, too. A beautiful poem. The wordle words worked well.

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  9. Veronica, nice and quite scenic. You do bring the reader in with your writing.

    Pamela

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  10. Oh I wish there were bears in the beech woods in England. You know, that's one thing I do miss when I move over. The bears and cougars and raccoon...OK, even the skunks. But then there's the bird song we don't get in Vancouver. :) Nicely done. I could really feel myself there. :) Lovey to catch up with you again this week.

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  11. Imaginative trip to a nature sanctuary.

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  12. What a wonderful place to be. I could smell the almonds.

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  13. Later in my life I discovered that the smell of almonds was in fact a balsam poplar tree. They do have a lovely smell.

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