Inspired by F3.5, Grey Lady, Dark Hedges
The Dark Hedges
This beech tree grove,
an arboreal monument,
a tribute to grace
at midday, delight in its dappled light
but even then,
there’s a sense of something not right
in the tunnel of magnificent arching branches,
shadows form
unsettled and unsettling. Watch now at dusk,
the grey mist in semblance of a female shape
and though you cannot see her face,
you feel her tension and her grief
to wander each night
in the gloaming
through the dark hedges
till at the last tree, she goes–
but on Halloween, she’s joined by others.
Well, these are all drafts, but this one needs some editing.
Paul Brookes is hosting a month-long ekphrastic challenge using folklore images to celebrate the launch of his new poetry collection, “As Folktaleteller.” You can see the images here, and also read the other responses.
Yesterday and today: Merril's historical musings 
Reblogged this on NEW BLOG HERE >> https:/BOOKS.ESLARN-NET.DE.
Thank you, Michael! 💙
Beautiful, and a great start on the way to Halloween! Have to read the previous postings too. Have a nice week! xx Michael
Thank you so much, Michael! I hope you have a great week, too! 💙
Thank you, Merril! xx Michael
The ghosts that, haunts us, especially on, All Hallows Eve…
Yes indeed. Thank you.
I like the movement of this, into the tunnel. (K)
Thank you! It seems like such an interesting place.
I agree.
I really like this! I’m wondering whether you can just cut the last line. “[T]ill at the last tree, she goes–” has an eerie resonance on its own.
Thank you very much, Liz!
I think the whole thing is too wordy. 😊
You’re welcome, Merril! The poem didn’t read as too wordy to me. It’s just the last line that didn’t seem to hit the right note.
Yes, thank you. I think you’re right. I meant for it to sound ominous, but it sounds more like the start of a new stanza. 🙂
Ominous came through loud and clear with the penultimate line.
😊
Beautiful folklore poetry.
Thank you very much, Rene!
You’re poetry is superb. No words!
😘
🤗😘
There is a grey lady reputed to haunt a local beauty spot near my home, so this had a spooky resonance for me!
Oh, that’s very cool, Ingrid! Take a photo of her. 🙂
I did when I was a teenager!
Ooooooo! So cool–and shivery!
Yes, you need to finish this one. I like your beech tree dance. They do look wild, despite the soft colours.
I’ll probably come back and revise all of them at some point. 🙂
I didn’t know of this place. Apparently, it features in Game of Thrones, which I’ve never seen. But it does look like a beautiful–and creepy–grove/road.
I thought of the original illustrations to the Narnia books. They’re more mysterious, I think than creepy. Old and a bit wild 🙂
I can imagine, though I don’t know the illustrations for sure.
It was an illustrator called Pauline Barnes. I love her wolves. They look just like very angry galgos 🙂
I’ll have to look her up!🙂
🙂
Well, I, for one, enjoy this 🙂
And your poem goes so very well with that image that I imagine as lovely during the day but when the sun sets…
Thank you! It does look pretty, but I don’t think I’d want to be there at night!
Nope and nope! 🙂