Lost in It All

Lost in It All

Visitors arriving at an off-the-beaten-track
converted chapel, small and white, by which
a shallow river gently ran,
weaving through grand trees.
We wandered down
that leaf-bare, riversided avenue
The children cycled on ahead,
the dog roamed near,
snuffling through the grass.

The hills surrounded -
they took me in completely;
I would have stood to take them in
far longer than we did.
We wandered up again,
the brief excursion long enough
to tempt me to go back sometime.

Almost too soon
it turned out to be time to go;
a meal together and a chat
around the fire before we headed
to the car.
She hugged me as we left and said
how nice it was to meet me -
I sense I'm not a stranger to
some conversations previous.

I like her - it's a simple charm
and something else I can't quite place.
The children, bouncing on a trampoline,
shouted out goodbyes and waved.
Hugs for another.

I had the feeling I was almost touching
something I could hardly grasp -
something just below the surface,
something old becoming new and being
different and rare.

I couldn't help but think how good a place
it would have been to sit and write,
to muse and ponder, sitting by
the hills and valleys all green-carpetted
and rich, yet empty mostly, full in parts;
like two sides of a coin which spins
so fast you can't distinguish
which side's which.

I couldn't help - and wouldn't want
to help - but feel...
lost in it all.

End