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Distant Avenues - 09-02-2001

An innocent wind brushes indifferent boughs
coaxing soothing whispers, benevolent gestures.
An amber streetlight smoulders amid oak leaves
casting dappled shade on a pavement lagoon

Transient moonlight illuminates the parkland
as prepossessing as an infants nightlight,
bathing the grass in a cool, silvery balm
freeing shooting stars from swings and slides.

A feline marauder slinks through the metal fencing
startling ancient recollections from distant childhood.
When the breeze conspired with hidden assailants
a murmuring stool pigeon that betrayed my position
while a lone sentry dripped his ochre blood
thrashing all the while, garrotted by a leafy assassin.

A callous searchlight swept across the sward,
so I fled like a Colditz escapee as if moonshine could freeze.
The deadly silver sparked off playground scenery,
like metallic glints off honed bogeyman tools.

No such worries for me now, I am grown, I am a man.
Yet unconsciously I find I have quickened my pace,
held my breath and flinched at a movement behind…

…still it seems, scared of my own shadow.
 
© Nicholas Vosper 2001