Meditation after a walk from Ashmansworth
Meditation after a walk from Ashmansworth, Hants., by Joyce Dinham
From this Down’s height I see, circling the hills,
A living crown of trees in varied hues
Of green and white and red and brown.
Two larks ascending, carry their trilling notes
Heavenwards; and high above them floats
A buzzard searching for its prey.
Below us all, the valley lies,
Furrows shining green with shoots
Springing from their bed of earth
Richly brown and streaked with chalky white.
On higher slopes the rabbits sun themselves,
And, at a sound, run, into safe hiding-places.
A herd of deer, quiet and slow, moves along
Intent upon their grazing; and, almost at my feet,
Across the path a field-mouse scuttles.
The warm spring sun is cooled by a breeze,
Which pushes the layered clouds
Into the marvellous sky-scape
Of a perfect day in May.
I want to bow my head and lift my hands –
As signs of thanks and joy –
To the Creator of it all.
Then, on the far horizon of my mind,
I see an angry rising sea
Come from the distant melting ice.
It seizes sloping shores to take them to itself;
Then floods, with fingers long and strong
Reaching far into the land,
To make new shores, and lakes and rivers wide,
Ousting from their ancient habitation
The holy fellowship of plants and animals
And humankind.
Great winds and rains assist the probing seas
In the task of change. At intervals,
When they subside, the sun from cloudless skies,
Delivers the last transforming blows –
Which recreate, indeed, new heavens and earth
In place of this green English scene of early May.
Again I want to bow my head and lift my hands –
But now in fear and questioning –
To the Creator of it all.
I shout out “Why, O Lord?”.
Swift and stark the answer comes,
“Ask that of your own kind! I have shown
to them – and you – the reason why,
and knowledge of the way to change the vision.
You must supply the will!!”
Once more I bow my head and lift my hands
As signs of sorrow and remorse;
I ask again, with now a whispered “Why?
Not just this valley, sweet and green,
but, Lord, in many lands
a million hills and vales,
so sweet also to those whose home is there,
are changed or lost through sun and seas;
and their inhabitants are innocent
of my offence against your world?”
Quiet and firm the answer comes.
“This knowledge is beyond your grasp;
your task is now to trust
and walk the two-fold way of love.
My Spirit gives you light and strength.
You must supply the will!!”
Next: Be content with what you have
Previous: Golden Ball – Reflections at sunset
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