Winter

A small river but a broad valley

The field are covered in iced grass

The sun iz sparkling across the whole

On the other side the hills rise up

I like the line of the hilltops

I like the old stone houses in this lane where I deliver post

It feels like Christmas again; it is Christmas.

A full silence envelops me and it’s kindly y grip

My feet are numb again I think I’ve got chilblains

Soon I will be in Oxford and I won’t have chilblains again

And I won’t see this wide valet with a little river and the hills

In the morning sun and the frost sparkling

I won’t see the frozen puddles on the pavement which I like to crack with my heel.

I won’t be a child again nor even an adolescent.

Of course there is Port meadow.

That’s a completely different place from this beautiful bare valley

This is good for solitary walking even spiritual meditation

That is for ice skaters lots of people and fun

Which would you prefer?