Cascade

POSTED IN contemporary poetry December 13, 2013

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cascade

Waiting for a bus by The Western Infirmary
One Dreary Overcast October day.
Scanning the dirty, tenement lined streets for a 43.
Windy-empty wrappers whipping around my feet
Students and hospital visitors huddled in the shelter
In scarves and anoraks. Wrapped up against the chill.

Suddenly, something changed. Quietly. Unnoticed.
A change of wind direction perhaps or
A drop in temperature as dusk descended,
but nature chose that moment to interrupt, to inspire.

For 3 whole minutes, the trees rained down their leaves
in a multi coloured cascade of splendour
Pedestrians stopped, looked up and marvelled at the show.
They talked to each other, smiled,
enjoyed 3 minutes that rivalled the Borealis,
starling clouds or bluebell woods,
and left each other as friends, with a warm feeling
on a cold Autumn day in Glasgow.

I thought of my friend in ward 8
Bright and sharp. Beautiful in her Autumn,
And strode towards Queen Street
With a renewed Spring in my step.

 

 

 
from “Newbury Makar”

Thatcham Festival Poetry Competition
winner of the adult category

 

John Black