Here is another poem from my steadily growing Shopshire material.
This one is rather more cheerful than 'High blue air' featured in my last blog. It is based on fond childhood memories of one of my favourite bird watching haunts near the little Hamlet of Rushmore in the parish of Wrockwardine.
It was a place where I could regularly watch kingfishers and still, for me, any day is a good day if I've caught a glimpse of these bejewelled marvels.
I'm also working on a compilation of my illustrated animal poems to release as a hard copy paperback so I will keep you informed on that score too.
If you are feeling cold take heart - 'Sumer is icumen in' (The Cuckoo Song, circa AD.1260)
The Dazzling Brook
All along the dazzling brook
The velvet bullrush forests high
Where willow veils and twisted crook
Are heaven wrought on earth and sky.
The Emperor unfurls his wings
And with the courtly damselfly
Pavanes above the mayfly rings
Where dappled trout keep watchful eye.
The listless breezes laced with scent
Of may and honeysuckle sweet,
Strike the scene of spring now spent
To lay the summer at my feet.
Marsh marigold (a thousand suns)
Warm the Heron's patient feet
That tip-toe where the crayfish runs
And beetle boatmen take their seat.
Tufted ducks in centric flight
Divert the launch of startled rail
While Jays with sleeves of sky blue bright
Rob thrushes of their lunchtime snail.
The circumscribing whirligigs
Go giddy in the glimmer-glare.
Great crested grebe's fine periwig
Resists the flow of noiseless air
But now here speeds the brightest star,
A meteor of sparking blue
That flashes through the culvert bar
To clasp the Alder, wet with dew.
Fishgig poised with focused gaze
Upon the scintillating fry,
Held ready on this best of days
To dive and spear before my eyes.
All along the dazzling brook,
Are denizens bejewelled and fair,
The pages of a secret book,
Illuminated, rich and rare.
By the way, if you like this illustration it is in fact composed of various elements from my card craft cd series available from Card Hut (see the link on my website)www.markbardsleyillustration.co.uk