Bury Mount Towcester

Stood in the sun with a crow on top of Towcesters 'Bury Mount'.

I stop and think.

What does this crow know about the history of this mound,

the mound on which we both stand?

Now an ancient scheduled monument,

once a 'Motte and Bailey',

a former defended position,

it sat in the corner of the Roman town of Lactodurum,

upon the important Roman thoroughfare of Watling Street,

now the A5.

Attacked,

defended,

attacked again!

Sat in the landscape like a beacon of local power and strength,

sending out the subliminal message...

"don't you mess with us!"

Then; dressed up as a mere garden feature,

a folly, 

just a frippery,

something for the residents of the 'big house' to admire if they so wished.

Abandoned.

Overgrown. 

Forgotten,

but now reborn,

scheduled, 

and a credit to the town!

I stand here with a coffee in my hand and a crow for company and I wonder.

I wonder of all this history underneath my feet!

And the crow?

...the crow flies off!

Housing Estates

Farmers grow crops of new housing estates.

The smell of the mower,

the sound of the cut grass. 

Cat settles in sunny spot.

Huge garages, 

not big enough for cars,

sit,

full of stuff!

Man dressed in office attire goes off to work to pay for it all.

Graveyard

Went to graveyard to find a poem. 

The 21st century passes nearby here so,

no peace for its occupants.

Doves call out to each other

over the drone of a council mower.

The bin,

full with dead flowers awaiting their final resting place.

Shadows stretch from tilting headstones.

A sparrow jumps from stone to stone,

unaware of their significance. 

A squirrel makes a dash for it,

as,

briefly,

the noise abates.

Random Observations #6

Bought a coffee and sat on a mound to drink it.

Big black car ignores speed sign.

Those who aren't jogging are walking dogs.

Large oak tree breifly provides shade.

Dog barks.

Man with dog says "morning!"

Dog says nothing.

Two pigeons peck at the grass

and discuss the world wide pandemic. 

Air conditioning and outside heaters?

They need to make their minds up!

Man with leaf blower relocates leaves.

Peeling paint reveals history of large national shop chain.

Mum straightens son's hat.

The End of an Endless Road

If I thought the road before me was endless,

why would I care to travel it?

What is each step worth on an endless road?

Nothing!

If you treat life as if it were an endless road,

what is the point of even one more step?

It's pointless!

We must learn to enjoy the ride!

Look out of the window at the deer in the fields as we pass,

smile at the people we meet along the way,

stop and say 'hullo',

take time out to enjoy,

time with loved ones,

time with love.

...for, 

one day,

one day soon,

one day soon we will all end up in a graveyard, 

a graveyard like this one.

This one I sit in now!

One like any other,

one where squirrels chase the shadows to the end of yet another day,

another day that isn't yours.

Where bells chime,

but quiet reigns,

and gravestones stand,

until they can stand no more,

just a slightly unloved graveyard.

A graveyard at the end of an endless road,

Slow Lady (1-2-3-4)

Slow lady,

taking her time,

time to choose, 

then change her mind.

Select,

or not to select.

Decide,

or not to decide.

But always slowly.

Slow contemplation.

Nobody else in her vision. 

Nobody else in her mind.

So...

Now...

To pay for it all 

...or not to pay?

...Pay!

Count out money,

small change, 

slowly.

1-2-3-4!

Not enough money. 

Recount!

1-2-3-4!

Still not enough.

More cash in car!

Pop out,

pop back - slowly. 

Recount!

1-2-3-4-5...

Enough this time!

Take the goods,

then leave,

slowly,

very slowly.

Slow lady!