You talk to me of lambs gambling, of ramblers ambling, through fields green, beside meandering streams.
You speak to me of verdant bowers, where lovers while away the hours, in love’s young dream.
I tell you of an urban street, where the gale buffets and people battle to retain their feet.
I impart to you the wind’s loan moan, as I wander home alone, in weather bleak.
Spring. Early morning. Not particularly chilly.
A fox’s bark cold and sharp.
A shiver runs through me.
I seek the warm sanctuary of my bed.
I was interested to read about a new organisation, Foxes for the Blind which has recently launched. As those of you who have knowledge of the world of canines will be aware, foxes fall under that classification. They are, in effect a dog albeit of the wild variety.
My first instinct on reading of this new charitable venture was a certain amount of scepticism. How could what is, essentially a wild beast be trained so as to furnish much needed assistance to visually impaired persons. However, as pointed out above, foxes are classified as canines and, if socialised from very young cubs behave rather like our four-legged friends.
The inspiration for this venture came from a group of farmers in Cornwall who (as with most farmers) became fed up with foxes attacking their livestock so, rather than culling Mr fox they determined to take fox cubs and train this most wiley of creatures to provide assistance to those with a visual impairment.
Farmer Michael Giles comments as follows,
“One day I came into my farmyard to find a fox attempting to gain entrance into my hen coop. My instinct was to reach for my trusty shot gun. However I hesitated. It was a young fox and had, potentially many years before it. It struck me how there exist a potentially huge source of cheap animals to provide guides for those with little sight. I know that breeding guide dogs can be expensive so, I thought why not start training this plentiful source of fox recruits.
Things are going well, however some blind fox owners complain of a highly pungent scent eminating from their fox. I recommend they spray the animal with aftershave or some other variety of perfume. However, for some unaccountable reason the foxes object to such treatment and have been known to escape back into the wild.
There is also an issue with dogs setting off in hot pursuit of the guide foxes but, in general everything is progressing well. In fact I am talking to a farmer in Africa with plans to train guide lions. The plan is at an early stage. There is, however no reason in principle why guide lions for the blind should not prove to be equally viable. Tomorrow guide lions, next week, who knows, wolves for the blind? Well dogs are descended from wolves which are, as with foxes part of the canine family”.
I will dig out a link for the story later today when I have more time to devote to researching this fascinating topic.
May I close by wishing you all a very happy All Fools or April Fools day.
The flower radiant with spring’s promise glows
The bee of sweet nectar sups, tarries perchance awhile then goes.
Thoughts of my grandfather mingle with the wind’s sad cadence, as it shakes my windows.
Acorns, fur cohns and conkers strew the forest floor. Many have fallen from the branches which overhang the pavement.
The feel of nature’s bounty in my coat pockets as I walk home. Conkers to be put away in drawers to harden, acorns for planting in grandfather’s garden.
You told me that weather cohns (you called the fur’s fruit that, or do I confuse the seeds with those of the pine tree?) open to signify fine weather and close to portend storms. Was it an old wive’s tale?
The acorn I planted in the garden which grew into a tree. You didn’t have the heart to tell me that, by chance a weed had rooted where, I hoped an oak would stand. .
I still have your cufflinks in a box, safe in a drawer.
Outside my darkening window you glide. You call, fall, and something once living dies.
A big thank you to Anju of cupitonians.wordpress.com for hosting the following guest post by me on her excellent blog (https://cupitonians.wordpress.com/2015/01/21/guest-blog-dalliance/). The piece deals with my latest collection of poetry and prose, “Dalliance” which is available, as an ebook in the Amazon Kindle store.
The wind gusts and a bird in a tree above my head sings. It is a wonderful windswept day in the environs of Crystal Palace. yet in France, in the past week fanatics with hate in their hearts have committed atrocities. None the less the bird still pours out his soul. The poignant singing gladdening and tearing my heart apart simultaneously.
Let us go quietly in to the wood
Let us go peacefully, become one with the trees
Let us be swallowed by nothingness
Let us return from whence we came.
A wooded path
Beauty in bleakness
Fallen leaves stirred by a chill winter’s breeze.
Cold cuts like a knife
Exilirating to be alive
K Morris - Poet 