*Dream Lake

Dream Lake

This is my dedication to the International Day of Peace, held on 21st Spetember,

initiated by ‘Peace One Day’, the inspiration of  Jeremy Gilley

I dreamed the dream

I envisioned it, wished it, wanted it

Brought it forth

Then grasped the day

I sought it,

Wrought it from my imagining;

 

Shoe set upon the track

This moment is my foothold

My creation.

 

Yearning water

A boat, afloat to drift

To breach the rift

‘Tween here and there

Alas, no permit given

Hopes riven

Never mind.

 Hear the water through the bird-call

See the water through willows tall

Fingers touching water, lightly leafed

Smell the water

Taste its presence.

 

Distant dazzling dancing diamonds

Catch the sunlight’s spirit nature

Cormorant finds perfect balance

On a buoy

Too far even for the lens to bring to focus

Yet my projected sight has it

Memory sealed, concealed, stolen for eternal joy.

 Deep drowning sky

Its shifting forms rippled

Drifting Galleon clouds

Perfect sailing day

Perfect lingering day

It’s mine, all mine,

I dreamed it.

 Every touch –

The peck of fish beneath

Zephyr’s kiss

A leaf fall

Brush of dragon-fly’s wing

Sends perfect circling ripples out;

Nearly imperceptible waves arrive

Like little blessings

Ever coming here (from where?)

Like thoughts rushing

Across the silvered reflection

My mind imitates.

 Black shadows, Valkyrie rooks,

Play in tree-top vortices

Reflected shards

Refracted rays

Sun’s swords of Light

Pierce and wound

And scrape my optic nerve

Intrusion on my introversion.

 Every second steals a moment

Heaven brought to Earth

Sky on water’s mirror

Refuses adamantly

To freeze time like a camera’s snap 

A moment shot and killed

Deprived of its ever-changing skills;

My skill

To stay statuesque

Like cormorant on buoy

While sylph and sprite and brown trout play

Because this is my day

I dreamed it.

 Buzzards circles sweep

Minnows flick in shallows

Long-tailed tits tweet in willows

Great-crested grebe, red butterfly

Hercules heron’s sweet surprise

And amethyst autumn croci

I look, I see

They come to me.

 Intruding gust disturbs the deep

But not my peace

Too perfect to deflect it

Sun’s warming Love protects it

This is my wish

I dreamed it.

 Original words and personal photos of Wendy Salter