A crowded dance hall

 The difference between being on the edge of a vast open field,

 and walking slowly through the middle of it.

Safety and daring

 shadow pictures wind painted in the leaves of scattered trees,

 or in waves of over grown timothy, 

         we haven't gone three days without rain since early April.  

Bees are reduced to raiding plastic humming bird feeders,

 staggering home drunk on reddened sugar water.

 A few bounce off as the field walker crosses their unseen flight path. 

 The walker stops to sit on a plough turned field stone,  

disappearing from view in the long shadow sunset light. 

 A hungry red tail swoops within touching distance 

He tucks away  his flask.  They both rise startled.  

The walker continues  towards the purpling sky line,

 remembering the turn of feathers and talons

 prior to the down thrust of  air grasping wings.

  Blue eyes and red eyes widened in shock, 

 before returning to the task at hand. 

 Hunger rules. 

But then she always has.

Reviews

[Phibby Venable]

A few bounce off as the field walker crosses their unseen flight path. The walker stops to sit on a plough turned field stone, disappearing from view in the long shadow sunset light. (love the image)
wonderful work, it moves at a perfect pace and unfolds beautifully.

[Gandré]

Hello Donald, this is literature, when you on your paths would walk lost in dreams, contented, nursing long passed gleams.

[Tomás Ó C..]

Hunger always has ruled... to eat... to have...to love... to have loved...to read... to write... to be read... all are hungers in this life...

[An Ordinary Woman]

Really nice Donald and it reminds of things, some I like very much and other memories, not so much.

I like what JohnL said ... poetic prose, I think hr is right. And here, you've mastered it. Lots of great imagery, too. Especially the purple sky part and staggering home drunk on reddened sugar water. I really enjoyed your writing, as usual.

[JohnL]

I suppose we would call this poetic prose, which seems to be gaining popularity as a writing medium - I've recently had a go myself and believe it to be a legitimate entity which can stand alone . There is wonderful imagery in this piece:
" The walker continues towards the purpling sky line, remembering the turn of feathers and talons prior to the down thrust of air grasping wings. Blue eyes and red eyes widened in shock, - - -", I find particularly telling. You have truly grasped the power of air thrust from a large bird. I had not until I put up a bird feeder high on my pergola which attracts collared doves and wood-pigeons - largish but not like red tails. The air disturbance when they take off is enormous if we are sitting beneath. The telling phrase here though is in the meeting of the eyes (I can't resist mentioning Liverpool and Everton here - same colours still). This is a fine piece, and addresses issues like hunger, climate change,wildlife behaviour in a colourful and descriptive way which I have enjoyed,
John

[Cassidy Mask]

Really love this. Love the title. Love the imagery. Love it all. :)