Blue

Day 23: ' Start off by reading Arvind Krishna Mehrotra’s “Lockdown Garden.” Now, try to write a poem of your own that has multiple numbered sections. Attempt to have each section be in dialogue with the others, like a song where a different person sings each verse, giving a different point of view. Set the poem in a specific place that you used to spend a lot of time in, but don’t spend time in anymore.'


1.

Langdale Pikes, 
The circle of peaks
With names from the sagas -
Pavey Ark
Thunacar Knott
Pike O' Stickle
Harrison Stickle.
Each had its own beauty, 
Its own challenges.
Conquering the ring
Was always the goal. 

2.

As students
The ring seemed endless
The easy route down 
Too tempting. 
Our reward was always
Old Dungeon Ghyll, 
Stone walled, flagstone floored,
Best pint in the world.
Stories shared, 
In the warm glow of triumph. 

3. 

It was always 
Where my ashes
Would be scattered. 

4. 

Silver wedding week
Drew us back
To our favourite place,
Langdale saved
For the special day. 
Wide open blue skies, 
Warm sunshine,
The next peak drew us on
To the next, then the next. 
Circuit conquered at last
Our pints well earned,
We didn't expect the talk
That surrounded us
To turn the day sour. 

5.
 
Two planes
Two towers
Thousands of miles away
Turned the day to dust. 
Shock at the violence,
That such a thing
Could happen, 
Blew away
All attempts to rekindle
Our flailing romance.
Plans cancelled
We stayed up 
Watching the horrific news 
Unfold. 
Our marriage
Unstable, patched together
Over long years of trying,
Doomed. 

6.

I've never gone back
To revisit the austere beauty 
Of those peaks,
The place no longer precious. 
My feet now tread woodland paths
Seeking canopies of green
In place of piercing blue. 


© Copyright 2023. Chris Auger. All Rights Reserved

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