The Pretty Picture

A picture used to hang upon my wall;
a picture of green fields and hills and trees;
silver rivers and pure, white waterfalls;
blue skies and happy song birds flapping free.

But then, one day, the green paint turned to grey,
as, over its fields, streets and houses spread;
its trees were all cut down and cleared away,
replaced by flats and motorways instead.

Now it’s no pretty picture anymore;
just a great jumble of grey, abstract shapes.
Thank heavens Nature’s still, outside my door,
a breathtakingly beautiful landscape.