Just This ...

Cherry

By Silver Spun Sand

Mon, 02 Feb 2009
  • 4106 reads
14 comments
 

Went for a walk in the snow today –
the fields lay pristine. Looking down
from the hill to the road – unusually quiet;
hushed as a prayer. Every sound, muted …
The caw of a crow from the willow, the baying
of a horse in the neighbouring farm, the roar
of the 12.30 Easy-Jet out of Luton to Majorca …
and then I spotted them. Two hares – playing
in the snow like a couple of kids. And so
they rolled on their backs – had a boxing match.
Ran, pell-mell – played tag in and out the hedgerow
and then, they caught my scent and were off
like a shot. What they left behind was sheer magic
to my eyes. For there, for all to see, was their inherent
love of life – their unique philosophy told by paw-prints
in the snow, ‘Just this … here … now’.

Certificate U
Silver Spun Sand Poems
Autobiography

Comments

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on
Hi there, Nic. As usual, you have given me much to think about:-)and having thought about it, long and hard, have taken your advice. Thank you for reading and for your inspired comment which was of great help. I am pleased that I conjured up at least some of the magic that was yesterday. Tina xxx

 

Submitted by jennifer on
Loved the humour of the jarring jet! A wonderfully evoked scene. J x

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on
This was actually as it happened, Jennifer. I remember looking up momentarily and noting its distinctive red tail. As you say, incongruously beautiful:-) T x

 

Submitted by MistakenMagic on
'unusually quiet; hushed as a prayer.' - this line really stood out for me. You create such a vivid picture, I can see the hares now ;) Another excellent poem Tina! Magic xxx

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on
Glad you enjoyed it, dear Magic. Tina xxx

 

Submitted by threeleafshamrock on
I agree with all the good stuff, especially Jen, re: the Easy Jet LOL. Made it all the more realistic and it was so unexpected. I enjoyed this ;) Chris X P.S. Well done on the cherry.

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on
Chris - thank you so much for reading and as I already said to Jennifer, the plane wasn't a prop, it really did happen this way, so why not include it in the poem, I thought:-) Glad you enjoyed it and I appreciate your telling me. Tina x

 

Submitted by Bradene on
Great Winter poem yet with the hope of Spring with the arrivalof the two 'Mad March Hares.' Magic story telling Tina. Wonderful imagery. Val x

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on
We are so lucky round here, Val. Ever since we have lived here, some eight years or more, we have always had a family of hares nearby that live in the surrounding hedges. Last year, one of their very young leverets ran all the way along the top of our garden fence, ending up on the bonnet of my husband's car which was standing in the drive. Monday was special enough, what with all the snow and all, but when I stood and watched them that day, it made it even more special and of course, now I have a poem to remember it by. Thanks for reading, Val and I'm glad it meant something to you. Tina xx

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on
Dear Tina, a lovely vignette. Your words always paint a picture that we can easily visualise. This poem reminds me that I also witnessed a similar event: I was staying with some friends and early one morning, looking out of the bedroom window, I saw what I thought were two rabbits, but on reflection could have been hares, chasing each other across a field. I am sure there were no sexual shenanigans, they were just being playful. Luigi xxx

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on
Hi there, dear Luigi. Lots of people do get confused between hares and rabbits, but they are indeed quite different - hares being way, way bigger (about the size of a small fox). They also run, (like the wind, as it happens) whereas a rabbbit hops and shows off its white bobtail. The two that I stood and watched really were playing in the snow like children and if is so fascinating to watch them 'boxing'. February is the start of their mating season and apparently this is all part and parcel of it. Whatever, it was wonderful to watch, especially as the brown hare is becoming quite rare in this country because of changing agricultural practice. I would have given anything to have had my camera to hand, so writing a poem about it was the next best thing. Thank you for reading, dear Luigi and I am glad you enjoyed it. Tina xxx

 

Submitted by jennifer on
Wish I had a hare-y/hair-y playfellow to roll in the snow with in a saucy way! I shall have to make do with innocent doggy shenanigans! J x

 

Submitted by well-wisher on
I like a few things about this poem. I thought you painted the soundscape at the beginning quite well. I got a very good sense of how quiet and still it was. I liked the reference to the Easy Jet, which was both humorous and quite a subtle way of commenting on the intrusion of man/modernity. I also thought that perhaps the reason why people were jetting off to Majorca was because they hadn't discovered the beauty of the British countryside. I thought the ending worked just fine (contrary to what others have commented). It conveyed well a sense of immediacy and ephemerality and "Just this..here...now", had an urgent sound to it which I think fitted in with all the movement of the rabbits. I think it works well, not just as a poem about nature but also about time. You portray Hares in a very innocent, anthropomorphic way, which is not how I personally would see them, however, I think that, in your poem, they make a very effective symbol of youth. I also wondered if perhaps "Just this.. here...now", might mimic the paw prints and the spaces between them in the snow, although I may be reading too much into that.

Oh look, a link. I wonder where it leads.

JoHn

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on
You are so right, seashore about 'Just this...here... now'. Exactly what I was trying to convey, and it seems I did. Thank you so very much for taking the time to read this and commenting so thoughtfully;-) Tina