Thursday, April 2, 2015

This April Day


And on the second day....


Day 2 of the challenge "a poem a day in April".

                     This April Day

Look out to sea this April Day.
See the horizon curve
Across wide water.
Waves churned by wind,
Break on shores,
Sculpt  fresh  forms.
And wind turbines,
 Like catherine wheels
Turn to the tune,
Of spring.







And just to keep you going, another little story:




                               The Torch                                                      

“What’re you doing?”  Rob moaned sleepily, falling into the middle of the blow up bed, his elbows and knees hitting the cold, hard floor, as Liz stumbled over him.
“I’ve got to go to the loo,” she whispered, groping in the dark, “where’s the torch?”
Rob’s hands felt in the pocket at the side of the inner tent.
“Here,” he said, clicking on the Tesco pocket-torch and holding it up.
“Thanks,” she grabbed it, pointed it at the zipper and quickly opened it.
            She stepped quietly into the outer tent area so as not to waken the girls, whose low, rhythmic breathing assured her they were fast asleep. With the sound of rain on the canvas roof echoing in her head, Liz got on hands and knees and searched for her wellies. Next she slowly swept the torch in a circle. Now, where was her coat? Finding it on the back of a chair she shivered as she put her arms into the damp armholes, making a mental note that she must keep her clothes inside at night.
Wellies and raincoat on, she ventured outside onto the wet grass. Lifting her face to the moon, half hidden in cloud, she noticed that what she thought was rain was only drizzle. From the din inside the tent she expected a downpour.  Another sound, dull and repetitive, drifted from one of the other tents. Someone was snoring. 
Liz held the torch tightly in her clammy hands. She could see only a few yards in front of her, everything else left in unknowable darkness. She picked her way through the first of the two fields she had to get through. A feint smell of smoke from the bonfire of the previous evening wafted in the air, reminding her of the BBQ, the wine and friends singing late into the night. The only reason she’d agreed to this camping trip. 
As she continued on, the occasional sound of cracking twigs from the woods around her broke the silence and made her start.  She tried not to imagine what might be lurking in the black.  Pulling her coat tight around her shoulders she quickened her pace, grateful there was a pathway to follow and greatly relieved when the lights from the toilet block came into view.
On the way back to her tent she wondered if this would be the first and only time she went camping. What she knew for sure was that if they came again they would have to get a more powerful torch.


Now i have to put my think cap on and get writing the poem for tomorrow.

See you then.










8 comments :

  1. Great start to your poem challenge :). And I love the story, really took me back to our camping days. You paint the picture perfectly. When's the book coming?! xx

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  2. Thanks Kate. That was quick and I love that you went to the blog to comment. The camping story was just a little exercise- the constraint being "first time". I hope that's what I got over. And yes , I would love to write a book but with my memory and stuff hinders me somewhat. What I do has to be done in a short space of time and finished with. Maybe a collection or related short stories would do it?

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  3. Loved the story and will look forward to more. Why anyone wants to go camping beats me, when there are lovely warm B & B's around! No spirit of adventure me! For some strange reason, I really am not into poetry... But I'm sure yours is really great!

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  4. Thanks Michelle, so glad you liked the camping story. I'm afraid it's financial constraints that kept me camping for the last fifty odd years with the family and friends.
    As for the poetry, no need to worry, we don't all like the same stuff. I love it and am really pleased to be able to share it on my blog. I hope you will keep visiting.

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  5. Love the Poem Marian!! The story is great!! Makes me look forward to camping this summer!

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  6. Thanks Liz. It wasn't the most cheerful story, but it did give a flavour of what our camping is about. So glad you liked my poem. Will be posting one everyday this month. ANd you commented on my blog itself-excellent!! XXX

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  7. Thanks Siobhan . Really glad you liked it...

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