this is the song of the benches
in parks and on headlands
the song of the halfway seats
set on steep slopes
the song of the breathless
gazes resting
the slowing of the heart
the cooling of the skin
the coming back song
of many footfalls
the song of an ebbing
ache
this is the song of the benches
sung in the sigh of the grasses
benches set by water
benches set by trees
seats beset by swans and ducks
peed on by dogs circus
tightropes of small children
the almostbeds of fevered lovers
the brass plates dull
and the grey wood weathers
the walkers move on
to another high hill
Jan Dean
Lovely x