Tessa Ransford, "August 3rd"
Nov. 27th, 2012 12:29 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
August 3rd
The hill is tossing high, frail wisps of
rosy cloud to glide in steady gale
along a turquoise sky, around, above the
perpendicular and slightly askew columns,
above the triangular gap
between crown and crag.
The moon, full at midnight,
is now high and faded
almost a lazy eyelid:
day’s eye opening
or night’s eye closing.
Birds chase and ride the wind
reeling, wheeling,
aware that in a moment
ordinary flight of day will have to be resumed.
The hawk alone is steady,
keeps position despite the gale
to pinpoint a victim
and far below
grasses tinge in flower:
harebell, yarrow, lady’s yellow bedstraw
Among the rangy thistles and fatted doves.
-Tessa Ransford, "August 3rd"
(Arthur's seat)
The hill is tossing high, frail wisps of
rosy cloud to glide in steady gale
along a turquoise sky, around, above the
perpendicular and slightly askew columns,
above the triangular gap
between crown and crag.
The moon, full at midnight,
is now high and faded
almost a lazy eyelid:
day’s eye opening
or night’s eye closing.
Birds chase and ride the wind
reeling, wheeling,
aware that in a moment
ordinary flight of day will have to be resumed.
The hawk alone is steady,
keeps position despite the gale
to pinpoint a victim
and far below
grasses tinge in flower:
harebell, yarrow, lady’s yellow bedstraw
Among the rangy thistles and fatted doves.
-Tessa Ransford, "August 3rd"
(Arthur's seat)