two paths (may be distressing)

Gold cherry

By Di_Hard

Sat, 04 Feb 2023
  • 1927 reads
21 comments
 

lithe russet, fox flickers

through trees' lichened blue haze

 

black, in black of branches

raven calls, excited

 

                                    somewhere

                                    high

                                    buzzards too

 

                                                                know woods' balance has tipped

 

paths scar moss and velvet mulch - decade on decade

of decay, stimulant for outcast seeds and nuts

to liberate life's coil from their parent's casing

set a new stitch in Nature's work, ravel fraying

air of all who dwell here

 

                                          sky's careless grey caress

and low, left, sun's fire, last of this Earth-turn, spears dusk

soon after equinox. Frail as wonder, new moon

hangs in twig-net silhouttes. Buds sleep deep in

naked bark,  birdsong decorated no more - such

shimmering demands that Spring hurry          strangely still

 

only knowledge grows. What?

Is that red? In this tangled wild-haven - a square

stands out. Not belonging

 

wrong angles. What should be in's          out - cold fur

has been pulled back to show ribs like in a butcher's

but no cleaned meat for money's displayed here. A deer

young male, his velvet antlers not yet a hand high

his short bottom teeth showing, where grass scented breath

won't warm again. His legs, buckled, under what weight?

 

In this "Great place for a walk" dogs are let off  leads 

to be themselves for a while out of four walls, disowned

humans happily not knowing the cause of bright eyed

exhausted swaggers, coming back, chase sated. Once

such pets were kept to bring down prey, not left behind

while food's bought plastic packed

neat as forgotten death.

 

Under raven's piercing gaze, vixen takes her fill

after cold months on slim pickings, weak limbs grow strong

ready for night's shriek-sparked chase and willing tussle

her new cubs' beginning

 

dark falls, and day's winged hunters wait, hungry for time

before the walkers came

 

 

 

not sure if this deer is the one in the photo

Certificate 12
Poem

Comments

Submitted by Mark Burrow on

Really strong imagery. Enjoyed this and, being a dog owner, definitely strikes a chord. 

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

Thankyou so much Mark,  for reading, and commenting and cherrying! I used to have a lurcher so can see both sides, am really glad it struck a chord with you

 

Submitted by airyfairy on

As Mark says, beautiful imagery, and this one really packs a punch. A feel of the familiar not being nearly as familiar as we assume. 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

yes! Thankyou very much for reading and commenting :0) dipping into another world

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

So much said in this poem Di. Your thoughts are so engaging, taking the reader along the many woodland trails, where nature can be beautiful, yet so dangerous and hard.

I also did like those lines:-

Frail as wonder, new moon

hangs in twig-net silhouttes.

Also:-

Under raven's piercing gaze, vixen takes her fill

after cold months on slim pickings, weak limbs grow strong

ready for night's shriek - sparked chase and willing tussle

her new cubs' beginning.

A lot to think about here.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

Thankyou so much for your wonderful comment Jenny. You always understand just what I am trying to say. It was special to see the fox, and I was wondering why the raven sounded different - usually it is more of an "I am watching you" caw, much softer and chilled out. Should have guessed something was wrong, but didn't. Only, for them, it wasn't wrong at all

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Meant to look at this yesterday. I think I'll need to give time to read it better tomorrow. So much description to think about. Do raven's attack small deer too? Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

Thankyou very much for reading and commenting Rhiannon. I don't think  a raven would attack a small deer, or even a fawn, but am pretty sure they would come down to see what they could get from one killed by something else?

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

I hesitated to read this because of your mention of distressing, but this is so beautifully and delicately painted, and the circle of life goes on, nothing wasted - thank you DI - a wonderful poem.

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

THANKYOU! Glad you didn't find it distressing

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

This beautiful piece is our Facebook and Twitter Pick of the Day!

Please share/retweet if you enjoy it too

 

Submitted by celticman on

you've let yourself off the leach here to great affect. 

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

Thankyou very much CM

 

Submitted by marandina on

A powerful evocation bringing together so much imagery from nature whilst sound echoes of animals becoming meat for tables. Very much a Di poem so well done, of course. Paul :) 

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

Thankyou, Paul :0) 

 

Submitted by Jane Hyphen on

A beautiful, carefully crafted description of the forest and then a jarring twist which sent chills down my spine. 

I've seen this first hand, a friend's large dog caught a deer and sank its jaws into the poor animal's rump. I'll never forget it's eyes and the desperate sound it made. We managed to get her dog off and the deer sprang away but bleeding heavily.

I love dogs but I think a few changes need to be made, muzzles? Heavily regulated breeding? I don't know.

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

I don't know, either. It's just, last year, I found a young deer's foreleg quite near where I found this one's body. If it is the same dog, that's rubbish looking after from their human. 

Thankyou very much for reading and your (as always) thought provoking comment. And Well Done on Poem of the Month, that was richly deserved!

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Yes, much detailed imagery. Especially liked through trees' lichened blue haze and

paths scar moss and velvet mulch - decade on decade of decay, stimulant for outcast seeds and nuts to liberate life's coil from their parent's casing. I wasn't sure of the meaning of  ravel fraying air of all who dwell here Is it just the benefit of the decay on air as well as earth?

As you say so sad to see waste, the kill not seemingly for any purpose, though the birds and animals and earth will benefit eventually I suppose. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

Thankyou very much for giving your time to read again and give your detailed comment Rhiannon :0) The ravel bit was about making oxygen, though at this time of year must be mostly moss and grass and ivy doing that

 

Submitted by jeand on

HI di

Interesting use of spacing to give a feeling of the various animals and their roles in nature.  Beuatifully written as always. 

Jean Day

Submitted by Di_Hard on

Thankyou very much Jean, it is so kind of you to read this, and I appreciate your comment