River Diary


 “Now overlap the sundials
  with your shadows”
             - Rainer Maria Rilke


Morning

There are no answers.
The river is too busy reflecting
trees on the far bank and healing
its mirror after being gashed 
by a passing boat.

The whole morning with its clear, 
crisp air and sunlit space is simply
getting on with what it has to do -
letting the day's story unfold
in time. 

And so it is with me, 
unfolding into my own space,
trying to heal the things 
that do not reflect 
what is truly real.


Evening

Like a gnomon on a sundial,
the Newport power station's 
tall chimney casts its long shadow 
across the river. It seems
to herald a sense of hurry
as evening approaches.

Soon, starlings will begin to loudly 
bustle for roosting positions
in the nearby plane trees
and fruit bats will take flight
lifting a dark ominous cloud
into the night sky before 
splintering into countless wings.

They are like messengers
from another world. 
But who will hear them?
I walk home, my thoughts 
seeking shelter in the familiar,
deep in my own denial
Copyright © | Year Posted 2025

Poem

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Kavanagh  Avatar
October 26, 2025 at 2:27 PM
There are no answers Paul! Reality is what it is, beautiful, ugly, simple, and complex, but it takes a great mind to combobulate it into a wonderful soul searching poem like this one, an evening fave for me, cheers David
Willason Avatar
October 27, 2025 at 4:57 AM
Too kind in your comments David....thankyou for giving the poem your time. It took some time to craft this one, to catch the right note of interplay.between the internal and external world. Take care, Paul
Lawless Avatar
October 26, 2025 at 5:44 AM
An early morning fave for me Paul. you have captured the angst of nature amid its beauty and peace.
Willason Avatar
October 27, 2025 at 4:47 AM
Thanks John...very much value you comments. There is always a tension between the observer and the observed, it would seem a precondition for existence. Cheers my friend.
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