Photo Ben Fairlight Edwards
Pursuing The Change of Winter III
A poem by Ben Fairlight Edwards
When Winter comes
Dive for it!
Take the plunge and kick
For the murky bottom.
The wet and the cold will seep in a little
But the welcome down there
Is warmer than you think.
Yes, for a while you can watch
From a safe distance
As the high green wave of Summer
Hurls itself into the peat-tanned arms
Of Autumn soak.
But, really, you have no choice.
If you snub the gaze of the deep,
Fixing your eyes on the far bank
Of Spring, half way across
The taught line of the solstice sun
Will snap you down
So fast, you’ll never be dazzled again.
Even the slow ladder to darkness
Always clinging to the rungs of what was
Is a one-way snake, slippery and silent.
Better to leap
Screaming into the plunge pool
Beating the sediment in its reluctant race.
That way, your writhing fall
Will shape its own tide
That makes a trampoline of Winter’s depth
And sweeps up again
Into Spring.
Copyright Ben Fairlight, Nov 2005
Ben Fairlight Edwards isn’t just a specialist. He’s one of those people drawn to learn about many subjects, not skimming the surface, but diving deep, training, exploring and practicing to the best of his ability: piano technician, storyteller, qi gong teacher, creative woodworker, medical herbalist – and, as demonstrated above – poet.
Zelly Restorick, Hastings Online Times
If you’re enjoying HOT and would like us to continue providing fair and balanced reporting on local matters please consider making a donation. Click here to open our PayPal donation link. Thank you for your continued support!
Also in: Poetry
« John D. Robinson, poet and creator of Holy & Intoxicated Publications UKPoetry: Three-holed pipe »
