Ode to the Orchard
Pickering Road Orchard, Hull, 18th April 2019
Sitting
in the orchard among the trees
Drinking
water, slowly,
Feeling
the need for refreshment
And
cells needing feeding.
Birdsong
louder than the rumble of traffic.
The
easy breeze lapping skin and bark
Yellow
moss on finger-twig branches,
Each
ending with little bursts
Of
green, pink and red.
Gulls
with wings of grey and black
And
bellies a splash of white
Glide
high in the blue, blue sky
Among
the pastel streaks of cloud.
A
tribe of amber-leaved majestic trees
Stand
guard, stand tall
Between
the road and the self-seeded thicket
Implicit
on protecting
This
precious, peace-filled place.
Rumours
of a fox with locks of brown
Pleased
to be free to roam
And
have a home, here.
In
this gentle nurturing space
This
gathering, growing, loved
And
flowing grace-space
Where
I’m resting, feeling blessed,
Looking
around seeing people
Giving
of their best.
Feel
the trees rising, wanting to clap
Feel
their sap wanting to sing
Feel
their roots connecting.
A
community creating something special
Something
beautiful, something wise
Something
to open eyes
And
feed the soul.
A
place of plenty
For
young and for old.
