Walking Along The Shaded Lane is a poem I wrote one morning, inspired by the beautiful grounds and surroundings of Kenwood House and Gardens in Hampstead, North London. If you love in London or happen to be visiting then I highly recommend a wander round the beautiful house and a stroll around the gardens which go on for miles.
Over the years I have spent many afternoons here. When my boys were little we’d meet with friends and family for picnics; the boys would roll down the grassy slopes from the house towards the lake, climb the trees so high they were little brown dots!) and we’d dip pitta in houmous, crunch on crisps and throw bread to the ducks. They were happy days and now I’m making new happy moments here, quieter, contemplative ones, but I still enjoy the buzz on a summer’s day and so Walking Along The Shaded Lane is made up of many such moments.
Walking Along The Shaded Lane, one of the many poems I write when I’m out and about, especially now I’m living the author life more fully; I always have a notebook and pen with me so I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it and next time you see me out scribbling I may just be writing a little word or two about you!
Children playing in bare feet
Rosy cheeks aglow in the heat
Up above a sheet of blue
A bird flies by, I lean in kissing you
Holding hands, we stroll along
In my head repeats our song
Our fingers entwined, we walk
Whispering nothings, silly talk
Green rolling mounds climb around us
Grass filled with daisies and buttercups
Ducks quacking, feathers fluff
Climbing the hills with a huff
Boys playing football, girls flying kites
Yellow ribbons, orange stripes
Trees thick with emerald leaves
Foliage, flora and fauna breathes
Picnic hampers, happy sunbathers
Trousers rolled up and petticoat gathers
Flowing summer dresses and flip flops
Girls making daisy chains, boys jumping hop scotch
Dogs excited to be off their leads
Running wildly, chasing bees
A chorus of happy birthday fills the air
The wind blows and I hold my hair
We sit a while, poppy seed lemon cake
Strawberry and rhubarb posh pops take
We people watch, relax a while
You reach across to me and smile
Young girls, first love’s flush
As they feel dreamy and lush
Takes me back to years ago
A teenager in love, a lifetime ago
Walls covered in lichen, all shades of green
A robin red breast pecking is seen
Cream canvas umbrellas a welcome shade bring
Pigeons fight and a magpie sits like a king
A sandwich wrapper catches on the wind
Blows away high, high in the trees
A toddler chases a waddling duck
An old man his newspaper at a wasp chucks
A girl limps past her ankle bandaged
Pain a grimace the bone damaged
I wonder who she’s searching for
But know with you I need no more.
Thank you for reading and if you would like to read some more of my poetry then please download a copy of my poetry collection Sunshine after Rain – available on Amazon.
Until next week, Happy Reading. Happy Writing, Happy You.
Soulla xxx
