Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Go Walking

Go walking South on a
soft warm evening.
Turn left up the rise
until the city spreads herself
out beneath you.
Everyone is roasting chicken
tonight so that fat
and salt linger on the air
together with the heated
fragrance of honeysuckle.
Walk past cheap houses
falling down steep slopes
where cats either welcome
or run while children’s bicycles
lie beneath dark windows.
Climb the sty and scramble
towards the ridge.
Tread purposefully on
unmown grass, past
post and wire fences holding
back coconut-scented gorse.
Look West to the men of stone -
cold, still beacon to ships
coming home from the Strait.
Climb to nestle at their carved feet.
Perch on stone cairn as
Red Admirals stage war
around you. To the East
the Orongorongos are
wearing shades of amber and.
late evening has sedated the Strait.
Mark the passing of the
Kaitaki and the Bluebridge.
Breathe in stillness and
the last of the sun as its
grip slips loose from
Seatoun Heights and its fingers
drag wearily across
the flat plain of
Lyall Bay.
Stay till the sun is
defeated. Cool currents
slip into the tepid
air flowing up from the
North. Stand in salutation
then turn to home.

8 comments:

Catherine said...

Very nice - but coconut scented gorse? You make me want to find some and sniff to check that statement out!

Pip said...

Believe me - I spent a whole day out at Eastbourne thinking someone had thrown on a whole lot of that coconut-scented tanning lotion, then I realised it was the gorse!

Anonymous said...

Pip, this is so beautiful. I really felt this poem and it's made me all teary. Keep up the writing girlfriend you are truly amazing. Sniff...

Pip said...

Umm... work inappropriate sniffing in progress....

Whirling Dervish said...

Pip-

Just wanted to let you know that I will be using your line "Look West to the Men of Stone" for my Poetry Thursday post this week. Thanks for inspiration.

Go Walking is such a visual and lush poem. I'm glad I discovered it through this prompt!

WD

Rethabile said...

Hello,
I've taken your line for the Poetry Thursday prompt this week.

"Look West to the men of stone."

I decided not to read your poem (the origin of the mysterious line) before finishing mine (inspired by your line.)

Just thought I'd let you know before anyone else. When I post the poem, I'll of course give you credit for that inspiring line, and link either to your poem or to your blog (which would you rather I did?)

Cheers, and keep writing.

Whirling Dervish said...

Hi Pip,

Thanks again for your great line. Here is the link to my poem: http://stoneymoss.blogspot.com/2007/01/men-of-stone.html

I'm also looking forward to reading how rethabile used it. This was fun, wasn't it.

Also, thanks for keying me into Sunday Scribblings. I need all the excuses I can find for creative writing- it really is my first love, but with school and work, never seem to have any time to really "work that muscle."

Can't wait to read your work this week.

WD

Crafty Green Poet said...

I enjoyed going on this walk with you. I love the coconut scent of gorse!