Paddle and Splash

I am in my brother’s garden
Alone
I am early
It is a mid June afternoon

My brother lives
I suppose you could call it country
But not an estate or a seat

Not in the grandest sense
Not a Chatsworth
Or a Balmoral
Or the old East Indies

Anyhow
Here I am
Here and waiting
And thinking

Could I ask you please?
Just for a moment
To choose
Your own favourite location

And
Then
For this moment
Listen to the wave’s splash

If your place is by the sea
Where you wander
Or paddle and splash

Back here
I sit on the wooden bench
A close fit two-seater
Listen - I can hear the birdsong

I can hear the flap of wing
Can you
I can hear the buzzing fly

This is a time
Unplanned
Here I am
Alone

With nothing needing to be done
Nothing at all
At this time of now
Is expected of me

Can you imagine such a time
When all that is to be done
Is that which comes
From within your own imagination

Imagine
Time for thoughtful recreation
Spontaneous blameless contemplation
Or action

I guess the grass was cut a few days ago
Anyway the shed is locked
No access to the mower

Unless of course I act against the law
Break
And enter

But why would I
When instead I can sit here
In the sun and the shadow

Sit here
And write for you
While I listen out
For my brother



From the Collection I Suppose You could Call It Country, available on Kindle