Friday, 18 February 2022

SLINKING OUT... (MY NEW POEM ABOUT SEEING ONE BADGER IN WARWICKSHIRE, IN FEBRUARY, AS NIGHT FELL...)

 Slinking Out…


Daylight’s sniping winds swished between 

A plethora of naked boughs

With their vicious, leafless twigs 

Threatening.

One harsh tree leaned upon others 

Following its crooked fracture and steep fall

In the secluded copse which lacked its canopy’s screen…


Daylight’s final throes soon dulled the scene

And my scattered food a robin soon roused,

Flitting bossily among blackened twigs,

Fussing.

The wind suddenly refused to bother

The worsening gloom, yet the glade enthralled,

Until dusk pervaded where colour had once been…


Sheep bleated piteously,

Geese honked tunelessly

And there was a kind of stillness.

Yet still my chilled stiffness

Remained unmoved and silent…


Then, rather fortuitously,

One badger emerged seamlessly

From a hidden recess,

A grey ghost in no distress,

Blending into the twilight, potent… 


Pete Ray

17th February 2022



Storms Dudley (really?) and Eunice were due the following day in the UK and so I took clean water and food to a badger-watch space.


I had to return the containers to my car, for the wind was intent on shifting them noisily about.


I returned to watch the daylight fade and feel the impending cold seeping into my knees…


As I was about to leave and unable to see very little, one badger emerged, slinking from a hole.


I was amazed, pleased and lucky to spot the wraith-like appearance of the mammal, the first I have seen during the current winter… 




  

  


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