Reflections

Ruth runs a poetry reading group in Oxford.  She sent round some images to induce others to produce a contribution.  She chose the topic Reflections.  Our picture was Llynnau Cregennen, a lake near Cader Idris in Snowdonia.   This isn't exactly the view, but it's near enough.


Bent grasses fringe drab water-margins.
Stillness holds the surface motionless;
          the sky uniform;
                    the air noiseless.
Grey, brown and green of hillsides withdraw in darkened tones; double-drawn.
Contours, perspectives, merge.
No gaudy splash distracts the off-guard eye;
          no brightened features intrude;
                    gaze settles, mastering, brooding.
Dullness supplies its compensations. 
Imagination free to choose, parade, its own vibrancy.
Finch or warbler dips through the rushes.
The rippling ring of rising fish;
          bird-dots arcing the grey sky;
                    a wild call, or murmur of wind.
Stone hut, bare scree or falling water lightening shades in object and invert.
Two walkers – no, three - in red jacket, pick along an unseen path;
          a sunlit slope softly presumes its presence;
                    sheep graze at my will.
I see it good, as I am seen.  I too, am image.

My note to Ruth:
The picture we were sent was pretty gloomy, not obviously designed to send you trilling about God’s lovely works of nature, etc.  As I thought about it, I realised I could paint in my own highlights, imaginatively.  This is the way that God, too, sets about conceiving beauty and realises His creation.  That action includes me, whom He chose should bear some reflection of His own Person.  So we come back to the theme.