In full bloom
My year begins again in Bluebell wood
the foreground, thickly pollen-fogged
fills topaz hued and emerald bright while
humming bees sing canopies above, lifting
improbably fat queen torsos to sycamore’s sweetness
while thrush and blackbird lilt and warblers babble news
The first midges of summer dip
down to taste the stationary ones
Mossy coated oaks leaf up to match that tint
beeches wave and flatten palms
reach out to catch the evening light and I
recall another bluebell wood
full of sensual scents, scilla’s lust
your lips and mine drowning in sensation
hidden by young leaves, swimming in
the essence of it all, your clever touch
I never minded any midges then
but felt the spongy moss thick beneath my skin
the rustling of last season’s dust
and twigs from winter storms
and felt the ripening of summer fruits to come
lost myself inside your heady blues
the scent of hyacinths
the scent of you.
Rosie Mapplebeck
14.5.16
Last week 6 storytellers ventured out into the Bluebell Wood to be part of Natural Change, a project which has been spun from work with WWF to create sustainable change, personal awareness and empowerment. We walked slowly, slower, stood still sharing and finally lay for an hour on our own letting the surrounding speak to us and us relate our lives to the land.
I lay under the snow blossoms of a wild cherry and let its calmness soothe me. Realised then how long it was since I had truly connected with my core places, both inner and outer.
Striving to ‘get on’ in the world, to play our part, can disconnect us from ourselves and our planet. Taking time to breathe in, to ground, to know who we are, we move forward in a stronger way, more in tune with ourselves, our tasks, and our land.
Trusting in connection and re-connection this week has been rich and enjoyable. Friday’s Burns Cottage event led to a meeting of 4 lady poets- a cackling coven from across Ayrshire and a lot of laughter, we will work together again.