Horizontal hail hood-hammering

Pellet pinging, kag rattling,

Wind-chilled skin grim-flaying.

 

Comedy of urination

'gainst neat dry stone wall,

uncomprehending sheep watching

fumbling in six layers of clothing

with frozen fingers and a man-wobbling wind,

to whisk away the water spray

where it will.

 

Bilberry and heather.

Grousing grouse, hovering kestrel.

Hillside-fresh springs.

The fun of ice.

The classic bum bounce.

Playing people-skittles on the frozen pond

with rucksacks and

Helpless laughter.

 

Snow crunching, blessed stone shelter lunching,

satisfying one hunger

while views assuage another.

Marvelling at the majesty -

storms marching 'cross valley below,

giants scouring the fields of green,

humbling Earth's complacent pygmies,

children staring through the crack

'tween wall and curtain

at the mystery of Creation.

 

This is the wild,

making the passionate happy.

This is the wild,

where comfort is exchanged for joy.