Sanctuary

Dusk has come so early
The soft drizzle shrouds my reverie
Bright autumn leaves on the branches & beneath my feet
Golders Hill Girl watches the meadow, sandals cast aside
I trip through the pergola in the beautiful walled garden
Under now bare stretching ginkgo and magnolia trees
Greet the green bronze cherub; Water Baby Fountain
Past the butterfly house, I see the ducks on Swan Pond
Across the humpback stone bridge, into The Stumpery
Squirrels perch on the fence grabbing hazelnuts
Quizzical, alert; feeding from the hand of a girl

Through the muddy meadow to the zoo; emu, deer
I shelter for a moment under the white Gazebo pipes
See the eagle owl hidden in shadow under his canopy
Now all alone; his partner gone last year

Then I hear the far distance keepers’ bell.
Around the corner, birds, kangaroos, lemurs and donkeys
The water gardens, rhododendron, strange plants, bamboo
Another pond; webbed mandarin & mallard follow my steps
With bated breath, in a proud victory formation.

The park keepers’ bell grows still clearer
Dark shapes scurry by on the way to the gate
The thrumming mini-truck falls silent beside me.
“Are you OK? Park’s closing now.”
And he was off again, loud ringing; herald of the night

I left the deer, ducks, eagle owl, squirrels and the rest
Tucked up until the morning in the sanctuary

©Christopher 2020
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