IN MEMORIAM
It was one of those unpredictable, early Autumnal days
When dark, lowering clouds made decisions difficult.
Somehow, the twenty-odd,
Suitably clad parishioners and friends
Had resigned themselves to the vagaries of the weather
Or had decided, hopefully,
That the emerging sun and mild weather
Would carry them through the planned meander
Through the unique woods and fields
Of Childwall’s hidden gem.
Once through the heavy, iron gates,
A premature pause,
Followed by a simple, touching eulogy
For one, whose earlier morning funeral
Had presaged the planned events.
How many times, Sue, have you wandered
Through these gates and such like,
Rejoicing in Nature’s Bounty
And miraculous regeneration!
Rest peacefully now,
Free from pain and worries,
Reunited with loved ones,
And the knowledge that the torch you lit
Will be proudly borne
By those you loved and held dear.
And then we were off,
Musing on words of wisdom about
Trees, mycelium, fungi, insects, birds, mammals,
Survival, long-life, death feeding rebirth;
Not forgetting negotiation of hazardous roots
And muddy terrain!
As we gazed up through the canopy of symbiotic trees,
Some vigorously young, others living fossils
Of what once was a world of privileged grandeur,
What thoughts drifted through our minds!
The sun now shone, appropriately,
On the lilac swathes of Michaelmas daisies.
Gentle breezes blew across the wetlands
And all was right with the world.
So it is with you, Sue.
Eileen Murray © September 2023
