Friday 6 August 2021

Bertie presents a Nature Friday Sonnet

 

Bouncing Bertie's Sonnet no.1

A summer afternoon so blithely spent,
An amble down the coastal path to Cove,
The dog and human perfectly content,
The route a vibrant floral treasure trove.
Harebells and willowherb and meadowsweet,
And vetch, angelica and tormentil,
And thistles various, and to complete
The scene, a spotted burnet moth, quite still.
To one side, sea, for once both blue and calm,
Inland, the railway line, a train glides by,
And nearby, from the local rare breeds farm,
Some longhorn cattle languorously lie.
And up above, fine wisps of cloud, so light
And fragile – an ephemeral delight.  
        


PS from Gail: Lovers of English poetry might have noted that Bertie's Nature Friday sonnet owes a debt to one of my all time favourites, Adlestrop by Edward Thomas, a poem so evocative of the countryside in England in high summer. It was also inspired, of course, by a walk Bertie and I took on Wednesday this week, down the coast just south of Aberdeen, from Doonies Rare Breeds Farm to Cove Harbour. 

14 comments:

  1. Hari OM
    simply beautiful. That is all one can add to such as this, Bertie and Gail... hugs and wags, YAM-aunty xxx

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  2. Bertie - you found Paradise! What a beautiful poem and such marvellous photos. Even the cows look soooo contented. Thank you for letting us share your lovely walk.

    Love,
    Inca xx

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  3. Your sonnet and photos are just beautiful, Bertie!

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  4. Beautiful pics, especially the butterfly on the flower and Mom loves the long horns. Nice sonnet to go along too.

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  5. Bertie and Gail....I am in awe....WOW what a beautiful sonnet. Mr. Thomas you have some serious competition, Bertie and Gail are here!. The moth is gorgeous.
    The pictures and words are 100% perfect.
    PS I got a chuckle out of geologists and the painted rock
    Hugs Cecilia

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  6. We just love your poem and the lovely pictures to go with it. That is a cool looking moth.

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  7. Beautiful poem for a beautiful place.

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  8. Wow Bertie...just wow!! The Sonnet was soothing...and the views breathtaking!!!
    Thanks so much for sharing both on Nature Friday!
    xoxo,
    Rosy and the Gang

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  9. Your poetry was even prettier than your pictures.

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  10. Oh Bertie, you are a master of the word! I loved every line! though, I must admit, the pics are FABulous too!!!
    Kisses,
    Ruby ♥

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  11. Bertie the Bard - a modern day Shakespeare. Lee and Phod

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  12. i felt like I was with you as I read the sonnet and again when browsing the photos. what you described is a vacation in words, the opposite of our chaotic world we live in. peace and solutude and beauty of nature and no people in the way to ruin it. the nuclear bomb was radioactive put in his veins through IV and an hour later his heart went into racing mode and he said it was the worst feeling he has ever had, my friend Jackie said the same. she added the words terrifying. they do that for people who can't walk on the treadmill. years ago i had one but i walked fast for 15 minutes on treadmill so they could see the heart, my IV was just dye that showed on the machine

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  13. The poem and the beautiful photos made our mom feel very peaceful, thanks for sharing with us!

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  14. Hi friend, Ojo here! Wow, I don't think I could make all those words go together like that! I hope you got extra cookies for being so clever - you not only read some person's sonnet, but you made it even better!!

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