Where Youth Did Tread

(An Addingham poem)

‘There!  Where every curve
injects another memory.’

Analytic beauty that
nestled in verdant valley
allows the mind to review,
where archaic dry-stone walls
enhance the ancestral ghosts,
impeccable trees, nature’s
guardian to one’s heady days,
inscribed when lovers called.
Now historic brows lost
within the village face,
expressive meadows
from a bygone age did
grace now lay in waste,
every thistle upon
throstle nest cut down
and stone barns redundant. 
For cement and brick
replace the gathering blooms,
fertile soil lay under macadam
and house numbers 
supersede the hawthorn hedge,
and old ‘Bram’ on horse and cart
daily down moor lane
long gone and dead.
Oh. Them old manifestations
embedded, the labour
of many a village son,
where leaf and wood
do part but once a year,
after seasons of regrowth
give way to winter’s ascetic sun
that rolls across Rombald’s moor.

‘Oh. Yes, the sun, one thing
that man has not yet changed.’

© Harry J Horsman   2021

Copyright © | Year Posted 2021



Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

Date: 12/13/2021 2:12:00 AM
The traces of the past are completely replaced by the new. The older ones like us feel the difference and feel the loss. The only thing that hasn't changed so far is the sun ! A beautiful write. These thoughts course through my mind too, harry !
Login to Reply
Date: 5/13/2021 9:03:00 AM
Exquisite imagery of expressive ink, Harry! Haunting poetry of days gone by, dear friend. Love and more love always.
Login to Reply
Date: 5/9/2021 3:50:00 AM
Enjoyed reading your work. Very creative. Some places where I lived when I was growing up have changed so much but some have stayed the same one home burned to the ground and now has been replaced with a new modern home but the land looks the same. We searched when daddy was alive for a place where he had lived and it was completely gone all covered over with forest. So much can change in a lifetime. If the sun changed man might be in for a rude awakening. Thanks for dropping by my page. Sara
Login to Reply
Date: 5/3/2021 1:43:00 PM
Good pen Harry with such great imagery and insight. Take care, Gordon
Login to Reply
Date: 5/2/2021 11:43:00 PM
I can feel the moors and the bulldozer. xx
Login to Reply
Date: 5/2/2021 7:02:00 PM
Damn, Harry -- this is darned good stuff!! And yes...if I sound a little jealous...it is because I am. Magnificent writing!! My very best regards - cheers! :) john
Login to Reply
Date: 5/2/2021 1:40:00 AM
There are so many theories about the sun. Latest is that it shifted on its axis. Otherwise quite a reflective poem.
Login to Reply
Get a Premium Membership
Get more exposure for your poetry and more features with a Premium Membership.
Book: Radiant Verses: A Journey Through Inspiring Poetry

Member Area

My Admin
Profile and Settings
Edit My Poems
Edit My Quotes
Edit My Short Stories
Edit My Articles
My Comments Inboxes
My Comments Outboxes
Soup Mail
Poetry Contests
Contest Results/Status
Followers
Poems of Poets I Follow
Friend Builder

Soup Social

Poetry Forum
New/Upcoming Features
The Wall
Soup Facebook Page
Who is Online
Link to Us

Member Poems

Poems - Top 100 New
Poems - Top 100 All-Time
Poems - Best
Poems - by Topic
Poems - New (All)
Poems - New (PM)
Poems - New by Poet
Poems - Read
Poems - Unread

Member Poets

Poets - Best New
Poets - New
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems Recent
Poets - Top 100 Community
Poets - Top 100 Contest

Famous Poems

Famous Poems - African American
Famous Poems - Best
Famous Poems - Classical
Famous Poems - English
Famous Poems - Haiku
Famous Poems - Love
Famous Poems - Short
Famous Poems - Top 100

Famous Poets

Famous Poets - Living
Famous Poets - Most Popular
Famous Poets - Top 100
Famous Poets - Best
Famous Poets - Women
Famous Poets - African American
Famous Poets - Beat
Famous Poets - Cinquain
Famous Poets - Classical
Famous Poets - English
Famous Poets - Haiku
Famous Poets - Hindi
Famous Poets - Jewish
Famous Poets - Love
Famous Poets - Metaphysical
Famous Poets - Modern
Famous Poets - Punjabi
Famous Poets - Romantic
Famous Poets - Spanish
Famous Poets - Suicidal
Famous Poets - Urdu
Famous Poets - War

Poetry Resources

Anagrams
Bible
Book Store
Character Counter
Cliché Finder
Poetry Clichés
Common Words
Copyright Information
Grammar
Grammar Checker
Homonym
Homophones
How to Write a Poem
Lyrics
Love Poem Generator
New Poetic Forms
Plagiarism Checker
Poetics
Poetry Art
Publishing
Random Word Generator
Spell Checker
Store
What is Good Poetry?
Word Counter