Evening Exercise

Short walk, bit of exercise before it gets dark;
boots on, down our short lane, passing the magnolia
(just beginning to drop its petals)
over the road, up the edge of a large sweeping ploughed and raked field
(what’s been planted there? no ridges, so not potatoes this time)
half way up see the setting sun blasting ahead over the top of a similar field on the right
and well over to the right see Titterstone Clee hill to the north
with its white observatory on the top;
stop to look back over the town,
then through a gap in the hedge to creep along yet another field so prepared,
until on the top and can look over westwards to the grey silhouette of Hay Bluff in Wales,
cross the middle of this field on a path,
and round its far side (not much edge here)
through the trees, and cut back to the first path
– see horse chestnut leaves and tight inflorescences
emerging from their buds -
and back home  – a few people passed
at regulation distances, but greetings exchanged.

[IP: going for a walk – imaginary or real]