AND THE BICYCLE... (My poem inspired by Kirsty Elson's fine artwork...)

 And The Bicycle…

(Inspired by Kirsty Elson’s artwork…)

Reeds bristle at the quayside,

Providing some shelter

For three skiffs, moored at the foot 

Of boot-worn slipway steps, harbour-side…

A porthole blinks from the house of black pitch,

An attic window peeps from the whitewashed cottage,

Both eyes peering at an incongruous bicycle leaning

Upon a single streetlight, gleaming

In sunlight, their dark shades merging

And across harsh stone converging…

Yet there is a yearning for the dwellings to explore,

Capturing the moody reminiscence even more,

Perhaps to find old nets in repair and a charm within a sparsity there,

Or maybe the deep aroma of smoked fish to breathe

And a poignant pause for a lost community to grieve… 

Pete Ray…

Kirsty Elson’s splendid artwork…