Field Trip

Gold cherry

By Philip Sidney

Tue, 11 Oct 2016
  • 2424 reads
8 comments
 

Water boatmen sculled in the shallows

under the scrutiny

of miniature naturalists, who

 

pulled rocks from their shingle bed,

turned them to examine aquatic creatures,

tiny specks of life.

 

Boys splashed around the river bend,

drowning out warnings

of deep, black water.

 

They returned with an eel in a bucket,

their prize for watchful waiting

and bravery beyond their years.

 

Back in the classroom we were silent

over the bowl, as dark muscle slinked

its last before fascinated eyes.

                               

The small piece of flesh tasted of mud

and death.  We rolled bones in our mouths

to shut out thoughts of the small murder in the corridor.

Certificate U
Poem

Comments

Submitted by jeand on

Hi Helen

I do like this - although it is a bit gruesome in the last stanza. Our children were happy as could be exploring river beds and turning over rocks.

Jean

Jean Day

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

Thanks Jean - I'm digging up lurid childhood memories.

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

Thanks for the cherries :)

Submitted by VeraClark on

This has a dark room effect, the sequences of the memory playing out with sinister clarity. It's beautiful, Philip.  Our Facebook and Twitter Pick of the Day.

 

Submitted by Jane Hyphen on

Lovely piece, reminds me of the standard pond dipping primary school trip when I pretended to be interested in the tiny specs in jars. I don't remember murdering an eel though, poor thing, after that 7000 km migration aswell....

 

Submitted by seannelson on

beautiful and profound.  thanks for sharing Philip

"If I send you post-cards from the side of the road: photographs of movies, and hearts about to implode"  -  Elliott Smith

Submitted by celticman on

well, death of a naturalist and all that. dark and slinky as it goes. 

 

Submitted by Ladylily on

Love this poem!   Bet you loved writing it! It's a good  un!  From  Geraldine  (Ladylily)

LadyLily