The Trespass

[hillwalker]

THE TRESPASS

This is my beach;
this strand of white
unsullied by another’s words,
unruffled by the morning breeze,
unstained by rouge of blushing dawn,
all evidence of last night’s hectic fever
ebbing with the tide.

I wipe the grit of sleep aside
and search for rhyme beyond the green-stone point
where hulks of rusted rock
lie sulking, anchored to the deep.

I watch the day unravel,
picturing the palette’s tilt
as dabs of summer sunshine
verdigris the shallows,
spilling bands of burnt sienna,
persimmon, sinopia and icterine
across the flawless canvas of the shore.

This is my beach
and yet I give each season leave to make its mark;
then note the scars and scabs of storm,
the dazzling spray, the gulls' reluctance to draw near,
or snowfall where it frills the shoreline...

But
today some other force intruded on the scene
with nerve enough
to pad across this virgin sand,
to scribble verse in stilted lines
and daub a patch of jazzy pink,
enough to break the spell of solitude;
five toes one heel
paired off in symmetry,
two feet so small
my hand could hold both imprints
in my palm.

I came too late to see
her spindrift hair tied back,
or hear the squeal of shock,
or watch the grin spread wide as prairie sky;
the child at play
among the wreckage of my inspiration.

H

***posted in response to being blackmailed by Misadventure - who now might refrain from pinching my cheeks***

[Hawkman]

This is old-school hillwalker at his best.

Live and be well - H

[Delta40]

Fabulous Hill. Eloquent imagery coupled with the interruption of childhood. One of my favourites

[PrinceMyshkin]

This is rotten splendid! At times it seems to me you have a cache of syllables the rest of us don't have access to: your consonants are more deeply etched, your vowels open wide as if in surprise...

[everyadventure]

I spotted this and had a hard time being patient as I worked my way up through the recent postings... a Hill poem, a Hill poem!

I love how the rocks are "sulking," stubbornly refusing to offer up inspiration. S4 is my favorite... there's an innate urge to protect what is dear to us, and there's something poignant in how the N is willing to stand back and let nature take its course-- but he takes note of every change. It's almost like a parent letting a grown child make their own way, caring without interfering.

I also liked the imagery of the footprints that could fit in the palm...

Lovely poem, and you may consider your cheeks safe for the week.

[yuka]

This is my seat
I'd been sit here all day
To see who on earth are play
Upon the virgin spot
Alas, just the child more purity
On a stained sheet
Drawing aimlessly

(sorry, for my practicing of rhyme)

[Twota]

I really like it lots. :D specially the last 3 stanzas. :D

[hillwalker]

@Hawkman - a special thank you for allowing me to insert an example of anthimeria (spelt it right his time) and having the good spirit not to comment on it

@Delta40 - I wasn't sure how successfully the unpretentious influence of childhood came through so I'm happy you caught wind of it

@Prince - I can confidently confirm I've never had a problem with my vowels - or consonants. And there's still plenty more out there to go around.

@everyadventure - who made me do it - somehow coming across a set of child's footprints on the beach so early in the day made me think of the 'shoe lady'; the one who twisted my arm to come up with something new. So thank you for your inspiration and your oh so careful reading.

@yuka - happy to be of some inspiration to someone else in return - but you really should get yourself a beach

and @Twota - I'm pleased you also enjoyed this one. Thanks for all your kind responses.

H

[everyadventure]

I've been dubbed the "shoe lady!" I somehow prefer it over what the neighborhood children call me, ie "the cookie lady."

[Junglord]

This one propper took me away with the vibrant descriptions. My only criticism would be the line "all evidence of last night’s hectic fever" seems out of place with the rest of the poem, it doesn't flow as well and the use of vocabulary seems to cheapen the scene. But that's just my opinion. A part from that probably one of the best poems I've read all week!

[Mutatis-Mutandis]

I really wanted to dislike this after your snarky comments, but I can't. It's really good, unfortunately. :)

[hillwalker]

Thank you both -

@Junglord - the phrase 'last night's hectic fever' was an attempt to describe the beach when the waves come in and do their worst - perhaps it indeed doesn't fit as well as I thought (but pleased you enjoyed the rest of it)

and @M-M - me snarky? You must be mistaking me for my evil twin illwalker.
But thanks for your gracious praise - and I was only expressing my dislike for forced rhyme (whether it be experimental or accidental).

H

[Delta40]

Wind is my speciality.....posted in my favourites

[tailor STATELY]

Wonderful poem.

Ta ! (short for tarradiddle),
tailor STATELY

[S.Daedalus]

I was quite disappointed that I couldn't find an "icterine" colored pencil after reading this (I learned a lot of new colors today =]).

In all seriousness though, this is spectacular.

[firefangled]

Very eloquently told and with such a touch of the personal. The surprise worth waiting for.

[hillwalker]

Thanks Tailor, SD and firefangled - I really appreciate your generous comments.

H