A Summer Ramble

 

We walked for miles in those halcyon days

along country lanes, across fields full of long fresh grass

The occasional gate or stile to be overcome

we ambled in a free fall of thought

picking leaves and petals as we casually strolled by

Clouds scudded past or sat in a woollen state

streams with sticklebacks and frogs, new signs of life

Trees with magpies and blackbirds weaving in and out of the branches

distant cottages, a hamlet or village as if painted

into some idyllic landscape epitomising England

as England should be, but no longer is

A satchel with wrapped corned beef sandwiches

and a bottle of orange squash or a flask of tea with milk and sugar added 

a copse or dell which interrupted the horizon brought shape to the undulating vista

We often broke off a branch to use as a walking stick

Neil brought with him a packet of five players weights and a box of matches

sometimes we smoked clover in home made pipes

which made us feel very adult and learned

I fell in love with trees and learned all their names

I collected leaves for my nature scrap book

with acorns and some berries or new buds

with care we chose wild flowers to press inside hefty books

Short trousers were a menace as nettles often stung our legs and knees

Rabbits frolicked in the meadow as moles made mounds along the way

Those days are long since gone, the memories remain

I shall treasure these to eternity

We were so happy and so content