great opening two lines - the poem does seem thirsty for a conclusion after
all that meandering rich description - I wonder if that deserves further
thought?

Terri )O(

-----Original Message-----
From: The Pennine Poetry Works [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
Behalf Of Sally Evans
Sent: 23 July 2002 23:27
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: New: when shadows go to ground


When shadows go to ground

At evening when shadows go to ground
taking the gardener with them till wet dawn,
and well-grown flower-plants come into their own,
birds of evening appear on dusk's own wings,
swallows, an owl, and rooks that nest
around the house tops, heavy ducks in groups
along the river bank, amicably
sneaking small territories among swans
whose white shapes gleam like beacons from the pool,
tall herons occupy the other bank,
where, only once, an otter on his way
passed through the stretch at just this time of day
towards the mountain terrain midges guard -
cross-country signalling among the owls
begins - they part the rough lands with their cry -
a nightjar takes the message up, singing
above the glowworms and the small flat frogs
engaged in their existence in the grass -
colour drains out of all the flowers,
subsequently from land and trees, till only
the pale river reflects like wobbly glass -

I search the sky as if it framed this picture -
thirsty for a conclusion; but the dawn
so quick to come in summer is our only
hint as to title ­ so we keep on struggling,
another day, more food for all the creatures,
more tending in the garden, more delight, more fear,
another season, light and dark, another
effort at a poem, a forest year.

Sally Evans