Rain-glistened raised roots
emerald moss-coated stones
water spattered, spreading cow pats
slippery wooden footbridges
rocking, ancient stiles
with hard-sprung gates –
all conspire to tumble me as I walk
our old ways in these Dales
long swept by winds, storms,
artists’ eyes, mizzle and sunlight.
Somehow, I stay upright
and advance slowly, mindful
of the present moment
rich with overflows
of tricky beauty
as breezes waft smells of byre
and mulch of fallen, slithered leaves –
I find I am
unbalanced only by time
about to run out.
Ceinwen lives near Newcastle upon Tyne, UK and writes short stories and poetry. She is widely published in online magazines and in print anthologies. Her first chapbook is ‘Cerddi Bach’ [Little Poems], Hedgehog Press, July 2019. She is developing practice as participatory arts facilitator. She believes everyone’s voice counts.
Foxglove Journal 