Nocturne, a poem

I had the good fortune of being invited to read some of my nature inspired poetry at last years Culmore Literary Festival. In the audience was Clare McDonnell, a successful Donegal poet. She generously gave me a book of her poems, Feeling for Infinity (ISBN: 0 9552122 2 7).

I opened it randomly today and found this poem. I hope you enjoy it.

Nocturne.

Taut tonight - I need tree music.

I escape into the stormy dusk,

wade through a galaxy of daisies.

Firs are ocean in the gush of air,

crashing on imaginary shores;

redneck sycamores shout,

gesticulating with broad hands;

beech trees lisp, whisper

and dance to sibilant music;

ashes shake their purses

of adolescent seeds;

birches shiver and gasp,

grasp their flimsy dresses;

sabre-toothed holly battles

brittle and unyielding;

gorse bends low to scratch

and comb the ragged grass.

My unease softens. I stand,

face upturned to a petal-storm of stars

and the silver seed pod of the moon.