midnight hike to Bamburgh
midnight hike to Bamburgh
(a dream of Saffie woke me)
she called me from my bed,
and as if hypnotised
I quickly dressed and headed north
to Bamburgh beach (a favourite haunt)
razor-sharp marram quills
shredded my feet – toes to heels
I cleansed the blood in icy ripples
lapping the Bamburgh water-line
in brooding clouds
a magic lantern of blue-shadow faces
half-forgotten friends and lovers
flickering and fading mesmerised me
above the swirling incense mists
Saffie’s face beamed, welcoming,
mouthing a winsome plea
‘come away and walk with me’
allured by her fluting laughter
I waded into waist-deep water
when a sudden surge, (half-drowning me)
wrenched me from my reverie
I struggled back to land – reluctantly
and from a rocky vantage point
surveyed the glowering sky
no trace, no sign, of Saffie remained
but my ears discerned in curlew cries,
‘when will we next meet again?
© coolhermit 2023
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