England in October
the sun’s still setting
over Cotswold stone,
light flaring
between roadside trees.
Dark glasses
aren’t enough,
we motor half blind
under the split skin
of autumn
spilling its harvest
we motor half blind
under the split skin
of autumn
spilling its harvest
onto cold headlamps,
staining the windscreen
with gold maize,
purple brambles,
pink rose-hips,
staining the windscreen
with gold maize,
purple brambles,
pink rose-hips,
blushed apple-fall
pulping back
into the roundness
of a faraway star
close as our breath.
pulping back
into the roundness
of a faraway star
close as our breath.
He grips the wheel
while I fold up the map,
blink at winking
cats-eyes; I must
have missed the sign,
while I fold up the map,
blink at winking
cats-eyes; I must
have missed the sign,
the one urging care
when approaching
England in October,
the year beating fast
and ripe with enchantment.
when approaching
England in October,
the year beating fast
and ripe with enchantment.
Cottswold Stone Cottage UK -- Ivan Freeth
The Cotswolds are an area in south central England that contains the Cotswild Hills. It is defined by the bedrock that creates a type of grassland habitat that is unusual in the UK.
ReplyDeleteCotswold stone is a yellow oolitic (egg stone) Jurassic limestone, rich in fossilized sea urchins and other fossils. When weathered, the color of buildings made or faced with this stone is often described as honey or golden. The name is derived from the 12th-century Codesuualt (Cod's high open land, "Cod" being an Old English personal name).