The dawn chorus was loud and beautiful

‘though nesting time was almost finished.

 

And later…

 

Four newly emerged Small Tortoiseshells settled

on stony ground, to dry their pristine wings,

while Skippers jostled a fat Bumble Bee

to sip sweet nectar from Centranthus ruber.

 

And self-seeded garden escapes mingled

with wildflowers in sun-cracked crevices:

Verbascums, daisies, corn cockles and poppies,

in colour wheels to steal a breath away.

 

Beside the compost bin, bedecked with twining

open cups of pure white convolvulus,

a multitude of stinging nettles writhed

with yellow and black striped caterpillars.

 

And twenty tiny, bright green grasshoppers

leapfrogged one another in a small patch,

accompanied by a chorus of crickets

able to compete with Greek cicadas

 

Nestled beneath terracotta pots, frogs

startled croak, grumpy at being disturbed

by one Humming-Bird-Hawk moth, proboscis

deep within magenta Erodiums.

 

And Bronze Fennel, copper colours ablaze,

promised umbels of Aniseed to store

along with scented herbs spread out to dry:

lavender, rosemary, lemon balm and sage.

 

Then cumulus clouds bubbled up and Red Kites

began a circling descent, their high-pitched cries

replaced by dualling thrushes singing

out sunset songs as the church clock chimed ten.

 

And in the darkness, refreshing rain fell on

parched soil and scorched leaves, lifting the bowed heads

of stargazers  – lost in thoughts of night sky

myths and legends- who began to wonder whether

 

the dawn chorus had been loud and beautiful

and might the world wake up and listen?

 

 

 

Angela Ward

 

‘Two Metres Away’ was written while Angela walked around her gorgeous nursery early one morning at Butterfly Cottage Garden Plants. It’s a walk that you can share by watching the slide show below whilst listening to the dawn chorus.