HILARY ELFICK

Indian Summer
 

A pigeon in a single flap can cross this valley
where you carved out a garden, with applemint
and rosemary, a secret plot of viola,
this arching lawn, a rose called Graham Thomas,
and here’s a flourishing euphorbia,

a cornus contraversia, cistus,
all enclosed within this Cotswold wall
holding back uncultivated fields
which drop into a cleft I cannot see
and only catch the light in summer’s noon.

You spread your fingers, tell how molecules
that made these bronzed plants breathe now grow
inside you, greedy, squeezing out
your prayer ‘This is the way the world is made;
Let us rejoice, be glad in it.’ Outside

the sun still lights the trees when it itself
has gone. I walk across the gravel, chilled,
and pause a while, knowing that the dark
will come, however veiled the timing.
But not this moment, now. Not here, today.

Between the winter spaces in the walnut,
yellowed cotinus and two Irish yews,
the horizon blurs in haze; a blackbird’s clucking.
A van strolls down the narrow street:
someone is going home. A few days hence

I’ll slowly skim across this ice-blue sky
to catch another summer, hemisphere,
leaving a smudging trail to dissipate,
the paling blue forgiving my abandonment,
my passing presence here.

Roxana-Monica Mîndrican

Hilary Elfick
 

Vara indiana

Doar cu un singur falfait, un porumbel poate strabate aceasta vale
unde ti-ai sadit gradina, cu menta
si rozmarin, un razor ascuns de violete
aceasta pajiste arcuita, un trandafir cu numele de Graham Tomas,*
si iata o euforbie* inflorita.

Un cornus controversa,* un cistus*
toate ferecate intre aceste ziduri din Costwold*
dincolo de care se-ntind campuri necultivate
cu o fisura pe care n-o pot observa,
captand numai stralucirea dupa-amiezelor de vara.

Iti rasfiri degetele, explicand cum moleculele
ce au dat viata acestor plante aurite cresc acum
in trupul tau, lacome, smulgandu-ti
aceasta ruga „acesta este cursul lumii;
sa ne veselim, sa fim fericiti aici.” Afara

soarele inca lumineaza copacii chiar dupa ce
deja apune. Merg pe prundis, infrigurat,
si ma opresc putin, constient ca noaptea
se va lasa, desi in chip tainic.
Dar nu in clipa aceasta. Nu aici si acum.

Intre urmele iernii de pe nuc
Cotinusul* ingalbenit si doua tise irlandeze*
orizontul se estompeaza in ceata; un corb croncaneste.
O caruta se plimba de-a lungul strazii inguste:
cineva se duce acasa. in cateva zile

voi pluti incet dincolo de acest cer de-un albastru inghetat
sa prind o alta vara, o alta emisfera,
lasand o dara prafuita sa se risipeasca,
albastrul palid sa-mi ierte abandonul,
prezenta-mi trecatoare in aceste locuri.

*'Graham Thomas' is an exceptionally beautiful rose of a pure yellow color. The roses of 'Graham Thomas' are fully double, and deeply cupped. The form is very attractive, with the outer petals forming a perfectly cupped circle of petals that interlace together. The rose has inherited good disease resistance from 'Iceberg', one of the parents. ' It belongs to David Austin Rose class.

*Euphorbiaceae is the name given to one of the largest families in the plant world, sometimes known as spurges. It includes around 300 genera and 7,500 species, and of these around 870 are regarded as succulent. There are also countless hybrids of Euphorbia milii, some of great horticultural interest, as well as hardy species suitable for the garden or rockery. Many species have a milky latex which exudes copiously when cut, and is more or less caustic. This does not apply to the Jatrophas and Cnidoscolus which have a clear sap, but on the other hand some species in the latter genus have stinging hairs on the leaves and stem and need to be handled with care.

*This rounded, deciduous tree with spreading, tiered branches is especially dramatic in the landscape. Its branches stand out in winter while the leaves, edged in a bold creamy white, add superb color and texture to the garden. In early summer, single white flowers are borne in large, flattened clusters up to 7 inches across. Blue-black fruit follows in autumn, attracting birds.

*Cistus is a genus of flowering plants in the rockrose family Cistaceae, containing about 20 species .They are perennial shrubs found on dry or rocky soils throughout the Mediterranean region, from Morocco and Portugal through to the Middle East, and also on the Canary Islands. The leaves are evergreen, opposite, simple, usually slightly rough-surfaced, 2-8 cm long.

*The Cotswolds is a range of hills in west-central England, sometimes called the "Heart of England", an area 25 miles (40 km) across and 90 miles (145 km) long. The area has been designated as the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The highest point in the Cotswolds range is Cleeve Hill.

*It has sparse foliage and bears bluish violet flowers in terminal spikes. The name smoke tree is also applied to two species of small shrubby plants of the genus Cotinus within the cashew family (Anacardiaceae); one is native to Eurasia, the other to North America.

*It is a small- to medium-sized evergreen tree. The bark is thin, scaly brown, coming off in small flakes aligned with the stem. The leaves are lanceolate, flat, dark green.