The Castle

The Castle stands, alone on a hill,

Somewhere in space and time,

Grey walls that face the world,

Face the weather, face time’s passing,

Imperturbable, aging but not caring.

The rain has stopped, the wind has died,

Calm reaches from the Castle walls,

Washing down the hillside,

Rolling gently to the Valley below.

A bird sings in the Valley,

Somewhere in another World,

But the sound does not intrude,

It takes wing alone and flutters

Softly round the Castle Halls,

A butterfly of life’s sweet song.

In the distance the Sun, milky

In the Spring’s cold haze,

Casts soft fingers out from

Distances almost unknown,

And their soft, tender warmth

Touches the stone which has held

For five hundred years.

She sits, her back against the wall.

Peace is etched passively on her brow

And fine-spun threads of gold

Catch the sun, reflecting,

As her hair moves softly

In the quiet breeze.

She pulls her cloak around her,

Dark pools of eyes throwing back

The images of the Lake

Far below in the Valley.

A smile touches her mouth,

Gently caresses her lips

Into the softest of curves

As she wanders peacefully

Through the corridors of her mind,

And the corridors of time.

For a second the air is clear,

Sun warms her face like a lover’s kiss.

Her smile broadens and her face glows

With inner peace and joy

From a moment out of time,

When she is one with herself,

And true to that.

And that fair face, as her smile grew,

It outshone the Sun.

It glowed and every plain and curve

Was seen in living beauty,

A joyous flash, a shout of life

Against the Castle wall.

She shook her head and rose at last,

Leaving her contemplation,

Her hair aglow, her heart refreshed,

Her beauty like a cloak about her,

Her peace almost tangible,

And the air about the Castle

Quivered as she stretched,

Gazed once more on yesterday

And then, turning away,

Strolled peacefully down

Towards the Valley.

The Castle stood, alone again,

The grey walls strong.

The rain came, the wind came,

Time and tide came.

She was gone.