alliteration, Patrick?
did you get a bit further on? perhaps not:

hard
hilltop circuit, head in air -

all panorama and perspective,
horizons of parkside houses,

hazy hints of hinterland hills -

that's 8 h and 3 p...

Max

Quoting Patrick McManus <[log in to unmask]>:

> A bridging we will go
> Cheers Patrick (ancient)
> Ps I did get a bit overcome with 'w' alliterating at one point:-)
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Poetryetc: poetry and poetics [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
> Behalf Of Max Richards
> Sent: 19 October 2011 00:21
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: snap: foot-bridges
> 
> 
>          Foot-Bridges
> 
> Ruffey Park has four foot-bridges
> offering multiple experiences -
> 
> try first the large bridge southwest
> between wetland (with purple
> 
> swamp-hens) and lake proper:
> spaciously the decking widens
> 
> as for a wide-angled bay window.
> Take a breather, leaning a while,
> 
> elbows on the timber rail,
> held by the long level view
> 
> to the north, and, on its higher
> elevation, the green-turfed bank
> 
> (raised when the old orchardists' creek
> was dammed and tamed into a lake).
> 
> This is great for contemplating
> paddling water-birds' slow wakes
> 
> widening, intersecting, weakening,
> and the lake-wide ruffle effects
> 
> of passing breezes, minor squalls.
> Time your visit right, you'll get
> 
> a moon above benignly steady,
> a lake-moon tremulous below.
> 
> Step along now to where rock-lined
> Ruffey Creek at the south-east
> 
> pauses at the concrete weir,
> flows under this second bridge
> 
> and widens as lake with water-reeds.
> The rocks nearby on the left protruding
> 
> from grass - on warm summer mornings
> they're graced by a snake or two (tigers,
> 
> by the looks) dispelling chill
> from their coils, alert maybe
> 
> for spring's ducklings
> or frogs, most seasons.
> 
> If it's spring, count
> the ducklings. Tomorrow
> 
> they may be fewer. This bridge
> (like the others) is where dogs
> 
> converge from four directions,
> territory contestable,
> 
> needing diplomacy
> and firmly gripped leash.
> 
> After a cloudburst the creek
> in spate is best viewed here.
> 
> Upstream the third bridge
> is the one most fancied for
> 
> the venerable sport
> of 'pooh-sticks': twigs
> 
> dropped from the eastern rail
> take their time reaching
> 
> downstream to the west,
> occasioning naive pleasure.
> 
> The fourth bridge, in disrepair,
> lacks distinction. A friend
> 
> has mentioned she once saw from it
> a native rat on a rock stationed
> 
> by the meagre creeklet trickle.
> An acquaintance tells me his dog
> 
> off-leash proudly caught a rat down there,
> ignoring it's protected by law.
> 
> This bridge crosses an unnamed
> tributary of Ruffey Creek
> 
> emerging at the park edge
> from a huge pipe labelled
> 
> Danger: Sudden Flood -
> Bad Air - May Cause Death.
> 
> This stormwater drain is bridged
> by my very own home street,
> 
> which I hadn't meant to mention.
> None of the bridges would suit
> 
> Kyoto or Giverny, but they do us.
> They keep us intimate with the lake.
> 
> Otherwise we'd trudge the hard
> hilltop circuit, head in air -
> 
> all panorama and perspective,
> horizons of parkside houses,
> 
> hazy hints of hinterland hills -
> running out of puff, footsore.
> 
> On these bridges you feel
> both grounded and uplifted.
> 
> They rest all night silent
> till we tramp in next day chatting
> 
> amongst ourselves about flora
> and fauna, sky and water,
> 
> not their supporting steadiness,
> strong planks and water under.
> 
>                      Max Richards
> 
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