paperboats

ISSUE TWO: BY STONE. BY WOOD. BY WATER.
A C Clarke

A C Clarke

Revisiting the Forest Walk

Years since we walked this way. We’ve forgotten

the landmarks; loggers

have cleared much of the woodland. 

Bald slopes are littered with tree-trash.

 

We thought the white farmhouse was half a mile

across rough pasture, but here it is, at the bend 

of the twisting road; a replica heron

is propped against a corrugated shed. 

 

And the road keeps rising – did it always?

a slow but steady pull towards the hill

which overlooks us. A sharp turn

and we’re in sight of the sea. 

 

The path dips now and climbs again,

never quite letting on how near 

we are to the end until

we suddenly are.

 

It doesn’t feel like arrival.

We stop beside a row of cottages,

look towards a grey line of fish cages.

The island humps out of the bay.

 

Along the turf which borders the harbour

a man is running up and down, 

up and down, swinging in each hand

a walking pole, as if they were javelins.

 

 

 

 

 

Header Image Credit: A C Clarke

A C Clarke on a pony
A C Clarke

A C Clarke has published five poetry collections and six pamphlets.  She was a winner in the Cinnamon Press 2017 pamphlet competition with War Baby.  She was  commended in the UK National Poetry Competition (2005) and longlisted (2014). Her collection, Alive Among Dead Stars, is due to be published in 2024.