A Secret Forest

Gold cherry

By marandina

Thu, 28 Jan 2021
  • 5343 reads
28 comments
 

 

We landed at Marco Polo,

Azzurri gateway to the North,

clutching passports we passed

bleary-eyed through mundane border checks,

as luggage rolled round.

 

Peaked cap, whispering cigarette smoke,

hurled cases into the hold,

ushered lines of chattering teens,

one step, two steps,

shuffled along and into seats.

 

Rolling hills and winding roads,

we watched as morning sun,

mapped its arc across a European sky,

grey urban sprawl and glass,

giving way to Alpine rises.

 

Birds sang on crowded tree bows,

our cerulean greeting,

wind-swept slopes beckoned.

Raucous, hasty disembarking,

fevered excitement soaking the air.

 

Ski lifts chugging, hauling, heaving,

smiling, fearless racers to the summit,

oily gears grinding, ropes whirring,

slowly inching over alabaster sheets,

legs outstretched, pointing, leading upwards.

 

It was at the apex looking back,

I spied the secret forest,

silvery snow drifted, falling silently,

amongst stoical fir trees,

no winter creatures stirred.

 

For moments in time

I was finally lost

and found in a magical place,

where frozen breath was held

and life was translucent.

 

 

Image at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Snow_Scene_at_Shipka_Pass_1.JPG. Details of owner and license at link. Published at Wiki Commons. Free to share.

Certificate U
Poem
Miscellaneous Poems
Travel

Comments

Submitted by celticman on

we find outside oursevles what is within. a secret forest. 

 

Submitted by marandina on

Thanks for the read and comment, CM. It's based on a skiing holiday I went on aged 14 with the school. My mom won some money at bingo that paid for it. I spent all day falling off a ski lift. Then the following day it clicked and I finally made it up the slope. It was at the top looking back down that I saw a forest in the distance. To this day it remains one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen.

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi Paul,

just love the fine detail in this poem, you captured the essence of that alpine feeling. To escape and picture this magical forest would be so fine,..though I'm not sure about the sking, even as a youngster it never appealed to me. wink

Nice one. yes

Jenny.

 

Submitted by marandina on

Thanks Jenny. This was the one and only time I ever made it to a ski slope. I would love to go again but can't see anyone else in my family being interested. It looks like that forest will forever be a memory only. Paul

 

Submitted by sean mcnulty on

This is very magical. Makes me want to go skiing even though I'd have no courage or the physical ability to go through with it. But oh just to be there in that secret forest.

 

Submitted by marandina on

Thanks for the read, Sean. It was magical to me but probably just another forest to the locals. I have only been skiing once but I can highly recommend it. It's likely to be one of the most exhilarating things you will ever do. Paul

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Lovely. Love whispering smoke and the idea of life being translucent. You painted the picture so well to take us on a little excursion from everything. :)

 

Submitted by marandina on

Thanks Rachel. It was a bun fight of teenage lads back in the 70s. We can add an ABC road trip to the Alps to go with the already planned excursion to India. Mark's organising that one, hoping they have forgotten what Geoff Boycott looks like by now. Thanks again. Paul :)

 

Submitted by onemorething on

This offers an enchanting escape and leaves us a secret forest to imagine. Quite lovely, and is Pick of the Day. Do share on Facebook and Twitter. 

 

Submitted by marandina on

Thank you, so much. Delighted and flattered. So glad people liked it
Paul :)

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

You took me right there with you - thank you, and congratulations on the very well deserved pick!

 

Submitted by marandina on

Thank you, so much Insert. Always flattered when someone takes time out to read anything I write. Thanks again. Paul

 

Submitted by Mark Burrow on

Lovely poem. I was 19 when I first saw the alps. I'll never forget it. You've captured that feeling here. 

 

Submitted by marandina on

Cheers, Mark. Another place I want to return to one day. Paul

 

Submitted by Mark Burrow on

Yeah, I was looking into doing a trek across a section of the Alps before you know what happened. One day! 

 

Submitted by marandina on

Life is short, Mark. Go (and) do it. I know someone who went through a marriage break up so he took a sabbatical from work and went climbing mountains for 3 months. Of course, easier said than done sometimes as resources needed. But still.

 

Submitted by Mark Burrow on

Yep. To be fair, I'd be content to spend an afternoon in a beer garden with friends at the mo! 

 

Submitted by marandina on

Oh yes! Oh yes!

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

It reminds me of Siberian deserted forests seen on TV programmes, and in stories, when you realised there's no other way you could be there so far from anyone, except in your imagination. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by marandina on

Winter forests beautiful in the imagination and in real life. Siberia looks stunning. Thanks for reading, Rhiannon. Paul

 

Submitted by Hades502 on

Some nice word usage here. Beautiful imagery as well. Maybe you stated it was a poem, but when I opnened the story I was expecting some prose. Very good.

GGHades502

Submitted by marandina on

Thanks for reading and glad you liked it, Hades.

 

Submitted by bhi on

You have an eye for detail and building the images for the reader.

The last line is a perfect ending: "and life was translucent." 

bhi

 

Submitted by marandina on

Hi bhi. Thanks for reading and the kind comment. Glad you liked it. Thanks again. Paul

 

Submitted by Penny4athought on

That secret forest sounds magical and perhaps a bit like Brigadoon, maybe you were meant to turn at that precise moment to capture a sight you’ll never forget.

Penny4athought

Submitted by marandina on

Thanks for reading, Penny. Maybe it was. Paul

 

Submitted by jeand on

Hi Paul

Lovely poem, and such a nice memory from yuor skiiing trip. 

Jean Day

Submitted by marandina on

Ah thanks for reading, Jean. It is one of my favourite memories. Paul