I know the name
of every mountain in these lands
lay my hands on granite rock
and sphagnum moss
spongy lungs of this rich peaty earth
terrain I cross
To walk the wind along the watershed
of Derwent and Eden,
lean into skies, buffeted like a tree
still standing, through a curtain of ice rain
almost to heaven’s edge
and back again
I hug the leeward of Bannerdale Crags
pretend to wend my way back home
yet not so,
for other paths I know
and one half of my wanderer’s heart
remains to roam
© 2022 experimentsinfiction.com. All Rights Reserved.
Written for earthweal
I was late for Brendan’s ‘Walk on the Wild Side‘ challenge this week, but I was certainly inspired by the prompt, so I’m sharing with Open Link Weekend #143.
Follow your heart, Ingrid.
Always and all ways x
so beautiful Ingrid. Each line so beautiful painting a picture of your beautiful wandering heart. Gorgeous imagery! ❣️
Thank you Cindy 🥰
Indeed!💕❤️
This so perfectly describes your love of your beautiful homeland and your wanderer’s heart. 💙
Aww, thanks Merril! 😊
You’re welcome! 🙂
Such a gorgeous sense of place and connection in this poem. Really beautiful.
Thank you Lindi 🙏
This poem is a beautiful little journey of the land. Love it!
Thank you so much!
“There’s no place like home.” So glad you are enjoying being there, Ingrid! Thank you for another beautiful poem about your homeland. <3
So true, Cheryl, thank you! ❤️
Wonderful , Ingrid. So beautiful .💕
Thank you Grace 💖
My pleasure 💕
“to walk the wind”–you really capture the land here, and your place inside it. (K)
I do feel at home here, thank you Kerfe!
Is this the Lake Country? My daughters are longing to visit after reading all the Swallows and Amazons books.
The Lake District, yes – Swallows and Amazons was set in Coniston, a beautiful place just down the road!
Magic! No wonder you love it so much.
A beautiful description of a traveling poet. 💖
Thank you Michele 💕
So beautiful, Ingrid!
Thanks Jeff 🙏
Most welcome, Ingrid. 🙏
It i lovely to live in a land one knows so well, and loves so much. A great blessing.
I know this, Sherry, and count my blessings every day: I know you do too.
What wonderful country to walk through. I agree with Sherry. To know the land so well is a beautiful thing.
I am very grateful to be back, thank you Suzanne!
Your return to your heart country inspires me to do something similar next year if I can find a way.
I loved what Thoreau said about the word “saunter” in his essay “Walking” — that to walk that way is to walk in Sainte Terre, the Holy Land, where one is home on holy Earth. Why stop roaming it? Why not learn it till one could walk it dreaming?
I can see no reason why not!
The heart wanders. Beautiful and well written ❤
Thank you Lamittan 🙏
Most welcome, Ingrid.
A piece that is evocative and connected to place.
Thank you Paul!
As one poet of place to another — this is beautifully done and so hearfely.
(I tried to leave a comment yesterday, but the gods of wordpress were against me…)
Blast those WordPress gods 😅
I tried to type ‘heartfelt”! Am totally sleep deprived and finger fumbling 🙂
What a glorious place to walk, Ingrid. How could anyone’s feet not wish to wander all the paths they can find through such a landscape of infinite beauty, history and grace.Thanks for bringing us there.
It is my pleasure, Hedgewitch, thank you!
Ingrid,
Your words make me long to go our hiking.
Sending these lines back to you in appreciation.
“To walk the wind along the watershed”
“lean into skies, buffeted like a tree
still standing, through a curtain of ice rain”
You would love Oregon.
Thank you so much, Ali. I used to have a postcard on my wall ‘Moon over Mt. Hood, First Snow, Oregon’ – Perhaps one day I will visit!
What a stunning, sprawling image so alive with color! Your poetic interpretation and experience combine to create a lovely moment. <3
Thank you Jaya 😊
Love that connection with that landscape that comes through the poem and the idea of moss being the spongy lungs of the earth…
It does have that feel underfoot! Thanks Rajani