Look deeply into the forest of your heart, see how much I have always cared for you.
~ ~ ~
When I was really small, I explored the secret world of my Grandmother’s garden. Crouching under the bright green shrubs it was easy to become invisible. The wonder of nature seen through my childish eyes, took on a magical quality, as if seeing the world from the inside out. I wrote the poem below many years ago to remind me that you never forget that view.
The Gap In The Hawthorn Hedge
Flower beds, climbing beans,
cabbages, crisp and clean,
the narrow ditch where nettles sting,
where snail tracks glisten like silver threads
on the pile of stones at the garden’s end.
On hands and knees I hold my breath,
gaze through the gap in the hawthorn hedge,
to the meadow,
where white horses tread,
and everywhere I look is new.
You never forget that view.
The photo above was taken this month in the woods at Tintern Abbey, Co. Wexford, a truly magical place. If you look closely, you can see the features of the tree spirit.
The poem I chose to accompany the photo is taken from a collection of poems published in 2012 as ‘Murmurings’, in memory of a dear friend and fellow poet.
This is in response to the 5 day photo/story challenge I received from Sue at suedreamwalker. I hope I manage to complete the task as she did with her beautiful Healing Wood posts. Thank you sue.
My first nomination today is Sirena Tales, her truly wonderful blog posts always inspire.
Here are the rules for the “Five Photos Five Stories” challenge: “Post a photo each day for five consecutive days and attach a story to the photo. It can be fiction or non-fiction, a poem or a short paragraph and each day nominate another blogger for the challenge.
Look deeply into the forest of your heart, see how much I have cared for you.
Masked Native 
The face looks like those carved into stone on the Polynesian Easter Islands.
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Yes indeed they do, apparently, according to an on-line source, the easter island statues may be representative of the spirits of ancestors, chiefs or other high-ranking males. I wonder were the statues carved before or after the island became bare of trees, interesting.Thanks Hariod for checking out my post today.
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Interesting indeed, and the pleasure is all mine as regards the visit.
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Loved your post and poem! Would love to have been your playmate in such a magical place. Hugs, N 🙂 ❤
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Thank you Natalie, we would have been best playmates in the wonderful world of childhood imagination and magic.
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Oh, we would have for sure! Have a wonderful week! Love, N 🙂 ❤
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Wonderful post dear Teri, and Loved your poem and magical wood.. I see also the face, and like Hariod said it does indeed look like those stone monuments on Easter Island.. Apologies I am only just back on line after a week absence.. ,, I am delighted you accepted the challenge and such a wonderful Photo. 🙂 ❤
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Thank you Sue, glad to see you back again and thank you for posting me with this challenge, it’s interesting to find what comes up as I work to a particular theme.
I came across a quote that related to The White Goddess by Robert Graves and while searching google for this, I found ‘Sophia’ Goddess of Wisdom, straight away, a line came to me as follows…. ‘Sophia says go out and play….
so the little quotes at the top of my posts are mine, still coming I hope, from Sophia.
Have a peaceful Sunday xx
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I am sure you would make an excellent channel for Sophia 🙂 May we all of us find with child within to ‘Go out and play’ We need all of us to be more playful and stop worrying, we have lost the Joy in life as so many get bogged down with living in todays world of must have’s material things that many go into debt just to own them.
Have a beautiful week, I hope to catch up more with you later xxx
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Another magical post, Teri. That poem resonates especially deeply, bringing back a flood of sensory memories of mine from my great aunties’ gardens…I can still remember the scents of the flowers, the rich, damp earth, that delicious experience of enchantment and wonder. This series of photos and stories is especially inspired, my friend. Kudos and gratitude to you, xoxo p.s. Thank you again for the honor of the nomination. Am just back from a trip, trying to catch up, hope to pick up the baton you’ve wielded to gracefully.
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Thank you for reading and responding ST and yes, it is the scent of things. bringing the wonder and love of those first times into our busy lives, and like you, I also love the scent of damp earth.
Very pleased you are going to carry the baton forward, look forward to reading your posts, always a treat.
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tender
~
new
growth
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Nurturing the new growth.
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