Pond Pondering

    

   

In the blinking of an eye and the warble of the warbler,

The pond puts on her splendid, bespoke summer clothes.

Silently and secretly simmering and smouldering,

Frogspawn explodes…a hundred detonations

Prompting Nature’s touchpaper  to awaken

And light the dormant creative spark within.

A living, loving electricity, leaping and jumping,

Rekindling and lovingly revitalising

All that it embraces in it’s path,

And igniting with glowing colour and radiance

All that it touches.

    

    

I sit…

In stillness meditating and pondering,

Pond watering and quenching my soul’s thirst,

Such hallowed, such sweet, sacred beauty.

Acers, their blazing glowing countenances vying for attention

Whilst they guard this sublime and special spot.

   

   

Each tree budding and emerging hesitantly,

Tentatively checking for potential frostbite…

In succession, one by one and bit by bit,

Like a finely honed firework display

The pond is suddenly and magically surrounded

By clouds of wispy, delicately denticulated leaves,

All bowing and swaying in homage

To the rhythmic design they carry.

     

   

Ammonite-like and tightly curled,

New fern fronds unfurl from hibernation,

Eager to expand and grow and uncurl

So they can stretch their fingers to the sun

In graceful prayer and adoration.

Robed in majesty and electrifyingly dazzling,

Kingcups open their petals in worshipful chorus,

Blazing a flaming, resplendent rhapsody.

             

Senses tingling blissfully at such brazen-faced beauty…

And heart filled with gladness and joyful gratitude,

Knowing this small corner amongst concrete, slab and monoblock

Provides a heaven, safe haven for God’s precious creatures.

Lush, green postage stamp oasis affixed to stark envelope desert.

Indeed I am blessed to be a garden care-taker.

Long may the voles live beneath the waterfall…

And the frogs rustle the heart leaves of the Marsh Marigolds,

Resting after the exertions of frenzied Spring courtship,

Surveying the pond’s surface, long tongues at the ready…

Zen-like they wait for an à la carte dinner to alight and settle!

   

  

Long may the little family of mice live under the path,

Scampering out when they think no one is looking,

Helping themselves to dropped offerings from the bird table.

Long may the elderberry tree with sand-paper bark

Provide a giant scratching post for grateful neighbouring cats!

Long may I  breathe and walk and be here now…

Feel the sun on my skin, the wind on my face,

Hear the blackbird at twilight and the sparrow at dawn,

And be given the grace to feel every living particle pulsing

With love that is life itself!

*******************************

Apologies for the profusion of photos; the plan was to swamp your senses

with a feast of form and colour so that you might get a feel

of the sheer lushness of the pond and garden at this moment!