The forest presented something of a wonderland for a curious child, providing endless opportunities to walk, run and ride my bike along the bushland tracks running beside the creek, as it meandered through the forest. I frequently went fishing, either alone, or with friends and learned to appreciate the beauty of this marvellous natural space. I still visit from time to time reveling in the solitude and the memories being in this place evokes.
The creek flows by
beneath me.
My spirit lifts
with exultation.
My lungs fill.
The flow,
flat and smooth,
whispers as it passes
under the bridge.
A life-force
snaking its way
along the forest floor.
Less brown with distance
More stilled too.
This quiet place where
native blackfish
have revealed themselves to me.
Alan j Wright
Upon Jennings’ Bridge No. 2
I stand upon the bridge rail
where the road to Emerald curves
and narrows.
Below the Sassafras Creek flows on
shallow and wide.
I am alone,
still and alert,
watching intently
for changes in the water.
Watching for signs of life
below the surface.
Ripples rise and fall
but the focus of my watchful waiting
fails to appear
-a no show,
-save for a single, fluttering leaf
descending from the forest canopy,
settling gently upon the water
and being immediately swept away,
by the ceaseless current.
Alan j Wright
It's Poetry Friday and our kindly host is Linda Mitchell . Linda has set up a clunker exchange. If you're not sure what this entails, you so need to visit her site...
Lovely, Alan!
ReplyDeleteI was fascinated to see the images of your place. What a beautiful forest.
The flow "whispers as it passes" makes me feel that I am there in Poem 1.
In Poem 2, I am there with that boy disappointed in not seeing any wildlife this day.
You have created a feast of a post today. All the best on your work for your anthology.
Thank you Denise. Your response is quite gratifying. Glad you liked the images. I hope they provided context to my words.
DeleteYour poems let us know what a special place this was and still is to you. Your line, "On the road to Emerald," is wonderful. I'm glad you shared pics too--because I am always curious about Aus. It's so different and so the same to my eyes. I really want to visit someday. That single fluttering leaf holds so much for us readers. What a great lead in to your next poem.
ReplyDeleteYou're quite right Linda. This town, this place continues to hold a special place in my heart, my memory. Hope the dream of visiting Australia becomes reality for you sooner rather than later...
DeleteFrom your pictures and words, I can see why you were "immediately swept away', Alan. What a special place so filled with memories. I love that you're planning an anthology filled up with words from this place. I didn't have that kind of forest growing up but did have a wood where I spent lots of time, too.
ReplyDeleteThank you Linda. I'm glad my strong connection to this place shone through. We all have special places, no matter where we live in this world. Wild, untamed and beautiful places where special memories reside. My anthology is revealing a lot of special memories as it slowly builds.
Deletea quiet place... and ceaseless current... where a poet is born! Thank you for sharing, Alan. It sounds like a special project.
ReplyDeleteA quiet place indeed Irene. It was there in that location that my poet's heart was so strongly felt. The project has become quite special to me. It is reminding me how fortunate I was to grow up in that place and at that time.
DeleteAlan, you painted a beautiful picture of your childhood home through your photo and words, especially "and being immediately swept away,."
ReplyDeleteThanks Carol. I'm glad the picture had some clarity for you as a reader. I felt the photographs were a necessary component given the uniqueness of this setting; my childhood playground.
DeleteThank you for taking us to this special place. I was holding my breath as you described it, and sighed with relief that it still exists!
ReplyDeleteit was a pleasure to take you to this special childhood haunt Mary Lee. I too am relieved that I can still visit this forested, natural place.
DeleteAlan, No. 1 reads like a hymn, offering a spiritual connection to this special place. No. 2 feels more like a strong physical connection, the speaker keenly tuned in to this place he knows so viscerally, so well.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your "hiding place in the hill."
I most enjoyed your perspectives on my poems Karen. Thank you for this.
DeleteI love the word "life-force." Perfect.
ReplyDeleteThanks Ruth. Every once in a while there's a word that demands our attention. It says don't pass by without noticing me...
DeleteWow, what an enchanting place you grew up in, I'd never want to leave, with so much lovely nature to get lost in… Thanks for taking us there in your images and two poems! I enjoyed traveling through the creek with you and waiting…
ReplyDeleteThanks Michelle. I'm pleased you enjoyed the tour. You can fully appreciate why I continue to venture back to this place despite living so close to the sea these past three decades.
DeleteI love how you're mining your childhood memories for gems of poetry and sharing them here. That single leaf in the second poem carries so much momentum. Thanks for sharing photos as well--beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThank you Molly. Those years are what I often refer to as my fortunate years- so rich in memorable moments. Glad you enjoyed the wander around in my used-to-be world.
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