THE GENTLE COUNTRYSIDE
The bramble bush charged
Out among the lilacs
That moonlit night
As dancing stars
Fueled the heavens
The sound of a loon
Sliced the midnight sky
While white baby’s breath
Dotted the countryside
Down the road near
McIntyre’s farm
Little Suzy’s old Scotty
Howled into the gentle breeze
© Hetty van Oordt:Impression photoseries
THE LAKE IN WINTER – 1954
Winter’s frosty edges
Shimmied across frozen branches
And darted, military style,
Across the silvery lake
Freezing in time for school holidays.
Kids glided along the ice
In pairs or wobbly singles,
Striving for a look of confidence
To avoid childish taunting
And ridicule reserved
For stumblers.
As daylight drowned in shadow
Clouds dappled
Bullying skaters thinned out
Myrtle’s confidence grew
To try riskier twirls
Without a mocking audience.
When the whistle blew
They scattered
To heated homes,
With two parents,
A 12-inch black and white
Motorola,
Pop’s padded rocking chair
And flowered wall paper,
That screamed Americana,
Where everyone talked
And smiled,
But no one ever heard
Anything.
TERRACE
Gold sky all aglow.
Terrace alive with flowers
This is paradise.
FEAST
Sunset. Yachts cruise by.
The air is very tranquil.
— Magnificent feast.