Victoria Field: Three Poems

Clearing

This is the price of light: chainsaws squealing,

usual paths closed off with health and safety notices

from Euroforest. Yes, I can see further

through all that air—trees on the horizon instead

of a hand’s breadth away, solitary standards with space

for every leaf to drink the light. But I miss the dense

silver flicker of birches, thickets for the nightingales.

They will return, I know. Meanwhile the earth’s in tatters

waiting for green shoots, a million small things to grow

                                                         Victoria Field

Hazel

path-festooner, soft moss-carpeted

modest spindled thing, budding shoots

firing on brown cylinders, thicket-maker

crouching in the fugitive spring

small curator of small creatures

dormice alive with ink-filled eyes

nightingales spilling songs

into the dusk of Kentish skies

catkin-quiverer, water-diviner

bendy-branched earth mystery-seeker

caterpillar-cradler, sweet nut-giver

quiet tree, my secret keeper

                                Victoria Field

Le Songe d’Aubert

after an illuminated manuscript in the museum in Avranches

Not once but three times

the angel visited

not once but three times

St Michael called on the Bishop

told him clearly he was needed

to build an oratory on the rocks of Mount Tumba

said St Michael, I won’t leave

until you agree, God’s will and all that

the Bishop sat up, rubbed his bleary eyes

blamed his dream on too much cheese

the next night, Michael, who is after all,

an archangel capable of slaying dragons,

appeared again to tell the slumbering Aubert

in words of one syllable what he must do

the Bishop, sitting up, stretched luxuriantly

put the dream down to red wine he’d swigged at supper

the third night, Michael, glittering warrior saint of Cornwall

abandoned words, resorted to his sword

drove it swiftly and smoothly

through the skull of Bishop Aubert of Avranches

finally he sat up, knowing exactly what it was

he had to do.

                                               Victoria Field