Lockdown Journey

By Sue Cornell

We venture onto half known pavements.

Our legs carry us,

our feet accelerate and brake

on unfamiliar territory several streets from home.

Approaching fellow travellers

we nod, smile apology and

cross the empty road.

Above us the same sky stretches wider, but

we have grown smaller.

We reach a gate, open with sleeved hands and enter

another country;

a pocket of wilderness

between bungalow and motorway.

Insects hover over nettle and buds of cow parsley.

Beneath us clay, baked and rutted.

We choose a stony track and are

blessed by trembling boughs of May blossom.

A break in the hedgerow and we see

a serpent asleep in a patch of sunlight.

We stand amazed.

On the bridge

the cars below us

echo in a void.

An avenue of ancient trees transcends us,

unconscious of our respect.

At the stream we turn

onto a grassy path

scent of wild garlic,

bold dandelions nodding.

Magpies swagger and scold and

a robin regards us with bright cold eyes.

Bars of sunlight send

leaf shadows to dance

over us.

Rooted

we find that we have grown.

Inspiration: I was inspired by a walk, when restrictions were tightest, to a wonderful local open space previously undiscovered despite being close to home. I feel very fortunate to live among so many amazing natural environments which influence my writing and my wellbeing.

Image by Manfred Antranias Zimmer from Pixabay