Showing posts with label leaves. Show all posts
Showing posts with label leaves. Show all posts

Monday, 17 October 2011

A Day in Autumn





A Day in Autumn

It will not always be like this,
The air windless, a few last
Leaves adding their decoration
To the trees’ shoulders, braiding the cuffs
Of the boughs with gold; a bird preening
In the lawn’s mirror. Having looked up
From the day’s chores, pause a minute,
Let the mind take its photograph
Of the bright scene, something to wear
Against the heart in the long cold.

R.S. Thomas



Tuesday, 23 November 2010

The Leaves

The Leaves (Adapted from Bambi by Felix Saltern)

The leaves were falling from the trees. Two leaves clung on. "It isn't the way it used to be." said one leaf to the other.

"No, so many of us have fallen off tonight, we're almost the only two left on this branch," answered the other.

"Even when it is warm and the sun shone, a storm or a cloudburst would come sometimes, and many leaves were torn off, though they were still very young. You never know who is going to go next."

"The sun seldom shines now," sighed the second leaf, "Soon we will go. Can it be true, that we are replaced by others, and then when they have gone by others, more and more?"

"It really is true," whispered the other leaf. "It makes me feel very sad. Why must we all fall? What happens to us when we have fallen?"

"We sink down … what do you think is under us?"

"I don't know, some say one thing, and some another, but nobody knows. No one has ever come back to tell us about it."

"Which of us will go first?"

"Let's not worry about that now, let's remember how beautiful it was, how wonderful when the sun came out and shone so warmly that we thought we'd burst with life. Do you remember?

"Yes, I remember, but look at me now. I am so yellow and ugly."

"No, you are as lovely as the day you were born.

Hours passed, a moist wind blew, cold and hostile, through the branches.

The leaves were torn from their places and spun downwards.

…winter had come.

Monday, 15 November 2010

train not car

A visit to the Archdeacon for my review gave me the opportunity to walk over Wanstead Flats from the station this morning. It was still slightly misty and quite damp underfoot. It was good to get some fresh air before arriving and to take a few photos. It was much better getting the train over than driving and crawling through traffic. It's only when you walk you realise how much you miss seeing when you are sitting in a car.
 
The meeting was well timed as I finished just in time to go round to a friend's for lunch - fantastic vegetable soup, bread and coffee. It was great to be able to catch up on family news and have a good chat.