Cannock Chase UK

 
All around were sounds of green
 gentle murmurs on the breeze,
July noon warm and slow
 sun burning hot when clouds allow.
 Stumbling on stones and roots
dogs  in front, then behind
a hundred yards in all directions
chasing smells and phantom rabbits
heedless of  bramble thorns.
Pine resins in the woods.
 Necklace gorse and broom
few flowers today, ragwort here and there
one or two warn the wary rider
its yellow jarring tone
contrasting with  sounds of green.
 
No need for hurry,
the day long as yesterday
or thereabouts, home not far away,
no further than the journey here
which took us forty minutes.
Deep in the woods the deer
wait  the cooling eve
their browse line plain to see
on the mountain ash,
neat and horizontal.
 
So we dream the day away
glad it hadn't rained,
gambling on the forecast,
gave the dogs  a drink
ourselves a mug of tea
in the shade of  silver birch.
Home against the setting sun,
dogs sleeping in the back,
thinking of the sound of green