view

My neighbour had seen me, slow

pulling my shopping up the road

had waved and cheerily bellowed

"Can you not go faster?" Below

his renovated house, his drive

and car I walk beside tall trees'

new leaves and branches lacing sea's

blue, where blackbird sings dawn and eve

all year and now all day calls Spring

in looping jewels that weave through grace

of those who dance to a year's pace

with shining song of welcoming

here is a time of peace, between

shops and home, to breathe fresh air, think

surrounded by each growing link

of myriad air cleaning green

and if people speed by in cars

hard bubbles of metal and glass

leaving behind their petrol scars

the trees will make this also pass

and when they lay down their shield

in Autumn, rustling russet, thick

on this black curve of dull tarmac

even then they do not yield

but wait through Winter (while we hide

from wind and rain and cold, they feel

all lessons Heaven sends), to heal

these mistakes we make with such pride.

"Those trees, I thought I'd cut them down

make it a clear view to the sea.

The people in the flats agree

hopefully it will happen soon!"

but I cannot agree and so

we soon run out of things to say

for in his plan I'm in the way

till hope-felled as a tree I, go