Saturday 20 November 2010

The smallest of taps on the window-pane make me look up from the book I am reading. A great wind blows
cold raindrops against the glass hurling itself into my pine tree as though some wild thing resides within, thrashing and swaying.  Grey skies sail above wet slate black roofs and silver tear drops slide down glass in rivulets of reflection.

Once long ago now, we drove between dense forests of pine trees in a Czechoslovak summer.  Either side of us flashes of endless dark trees made that soporific noise..'Wahh wahh' as we pushed the air of them past us.  The long undulating road ahead stretched to an incline and twilight settled softly like a moth.  Suddenly from one side came a creature, magnificent in bearing, standing far enough ahead for us to slow to a creeping roll.  A king of the ancient forests, his stance and antlers proudly upright he was framed for no more than a heartbeat.  Yet the thrill of his majesty, his maleness his absolute power over his dominion is etched into my being - he was not afraid!

6 comments:

Graciel said...

your long ago sighting, is my most recent. truly unforgettable, those antlers.

jane, let's vow to not be afraid! let's be magnificent.

love, graciel

Christmas-etc... said...

So beautiful! It brought to mind my own sighting of a magnificent stag so long long ago. I was visiting friends of my family on Angel Island in San Francisco Bay...running along, carefree and happy with a boy who knew every inch of the island when suddenly, we came upon a herd of deer. They were standing on a ridge not 20 feet above us. The boy told me to be quiet, and a moment later, the king of the herd, with a rack of antlers that filled most of the sky above him, came into view. he looked at us; knew he had nothing to fear and just stood. I think I held me breath the entire time. I still hold it whenever I remember that most wonderful day...
Thanks for this beautiful expressive post that triggered such nice memories within me. You are a gifted writer.
Blessings!
Ann

Sonia said...

What book were you reading, Jane?

June said...

I always love to come by and read your writing Jane. I can almost feel what you felt when you write.

Lesya said...

Beutifully written, ans as usual, I do like the photo. And I also would like to know abou the book you were reading.

I hope everything is great.

Half-heard in the Stillness said...

Hello everyone, thank you so much for your lovely comments I'm always so thrilled to read that you enjoy my writing!

I'm reading, 'The Third And Only Way' Reflections on Staying alive, by Helen Bevington. It's an autobiography of a teacher and great traveller looking for answers to the question of how to live or more specifically how to confront growing older. How to perservere!

Hugs to you all, Jane.