Old Tree's Last Dance



Wednesday evening: 
On the drive out, to Plymouth via Tavistock, fat mist rolls over the moor. Twists of bacchanalian gorse are waiting for the dark. The dark takes its time.
On the drive back, to Launceston via Callington; the colours are concentrated, not consumed. The mist has lingered. The wet road reflects. Everything blends, like Monet has painted this evening for us.
At the road edge, wistful leafage deepens slowly to silhouette. Night is here; tremulous trees breathe night air. 
Trees are different creatures by night.

Thursday morning: 
Boy reports, on his looking from the window to survey the likely pattern of the day’s weather, that a tree has fallen across the lane. An elderly damson, I think, on closer inspection, as it has crumbled, not fallen. The wood disintegrates in my fingers, soft as the flat grey air, flaking like pastry. Mix it all up, says my playful imagination, bake a damson pie. In the debris, I find a nest, small enough to decorate the imaginary pie. A palm-spanning hemisphere; woven in moss, fine grass stems, skeletal leaves. This discovery I fetch back to the house. 
Across the lane, fragments of rotted wood lie like the weary ghost of the old tree.


Comments

You paint such a beautiful picture with your words.
YONKS said…
I love reading you!
Sublime
Di
x
Suze said…
'On the drive out, to Plymouth via Tavistock, fat mist rolls over the moor. Twists of bacchanalian gorse are waiting for the dark. The dark takes its time.'

Dear GOD, what a fantastic opener!

You are incredibly skilled with the damson pies, Lily T.
Lisa Southard said…
Thank you :-) I will try not to get too huge-headed from all this praise!
Lynn Proctor said…
sensual capturing words
Teresa Cypher said…
Beautiful prose :-) Such imagery...

Oh, I stopped to tell you that I am passing the Kreativ blogger award on to you. :-) There is a new post about it on my blog. :-)
said…
I like the way you're writing, it's beautiful, thanks for commenting on my post about creative blogging. Gonna follow too... have a great weekend.

Jan
Teresa Cypher said…
Hey Lily! Did you figure out how to upload the badge? :-)
Lisa Southard said…
Yes! Have splurged ahead- thank you again :-)
Anonymous said…
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Lisa Southard said…
Thank you Anonymous reader, I shall look forward to your next visit :-)

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