From the Hedge

A New Place

Down the corridor of moist, glowing green I go,

Past the familiar, much explored, known places,

Onwards with contented tread along the paths

Of my world with its heavy, wooden doors in

The massive, friendly trees and branches full of

Caressing green and gentle, nourishing freshness.

Beneath my feet grow the cushions of moss and

Grass which ease a wanderers path in her place

Of rest, exploration, safe stillness and adventure.

I know the windings and inside-out twistings of

This place so well as they cocoon me in warmth

And I see them with full, soft, contented purring.

Something drags my gaze, seizing my eyes and

Widening them into life. Its a new door in my

World. Shockingly solid and weighty it stands

In the stability of long endurance. A new door?

I didnt put it here, did I? How did it get here?

Where does it lead? What is happening to me?

I know my comfortable world with its secure

Sameness. This means the tremor of changing,

A new exploration waiting to be begun. I dont

Feel any readiness within me, but in my world

Maybe I am ready for a new door. Perhaps if I

Ignore it the door will vanish back into its void.

I pass along the winding way, filled now with

New trepidation and the sharp, electricity of hot

Nerves, no longer feeling the softness of mossy

Carpet under my feet or the gently perfuming

Breezes, breathing out their nourishing, cool air.

So quickly I turn to look. The door is still there.

I wonder of its been here forever but I havent

Seen its shape shrouded by my unready mind?

I cast my decision and stride up in timid pomp

And thin confidence. The door looks down in

Dark solidity like all its great brothers through

Whom Ive trod to find my full crocks of gold.

I screw my sparse courage into a ball and with

Both hands fling it at the door. A little crack of

Gentle light shines all ajar into my fear. Yellow

Shining fingers curl round edges of heavy wood

And beckon me to join them in a place beyond.

I wait, take breath with vigour to wait no longer.

The breath leaves me and with it I fly. A bright

Rainbow of arching flight now, I sweep cleanly

Through the crack of light to catch the golden

Fingers as they bend and swoop away. Holding

Hands into the reaching glow we fly with light

Filled wings, ever upwards into the glittering air.

The treetops. The door leads to the treetops. Im

Exultant now as I swoop on to follow the gold.

The canopy had not been part of my green world.

Earth bound, although I had never felt the bonds

For the wonder of that green-blue place was all

I needed in the time of my magickal searching.

I look down at the top of my trees as they sing,

Stretching and yawning to the light that strokes

Jewel leaves from above my gaze. Upwards now

My eyes turn and away into the hot rainbows of

Spiralling light, following as far as I can as they

Reach forever into the infinite whiteness of all.

I didnt know this was here. My world hums so

Softly to me and I drink the sound into my soul.

Earth, roots, soft mosses, so friendly trunks with

Their open doors, branches and now the never-

Ending, shining sky embrace me and I love them

Back as I lie in the air, resting in the new place.