Poems from pictures is a joint effort! My friend Stephen Kingsnorth has trawled through this website and written poems about twelve of the images. In each case Stephen selected the images that “moved” him to composition.

The image below, what Stephen has called “sunset cause” was captured in December 2016 as the light was fading. The scene is at Hanningfield Reservoir near in between Chelmsford and South Woodham Ferrers. I was conscious of trying to capture the sunset and the branch arching its bare arm across the image. I didn’t realise that there was also smoke from a bonfire in the image too.

Sunset Cause

What is the subject of this frame?
You think me fool to entertain,
to frame such query in my lines –
and obvious the featured scene?
So most reply, the sunset glow,
the lustre burn of honey streak,
dividing space, cold soil, grey scud,
the dying embers of the day.

Is it soak colour, warmth in frost,
horizon caught before the drop,
that passing sense, brief moment frieze,
the tone unknown till shutter seized.
It could be survey, length of field,
once meadow then a pasture laid,
now grassland stretch green quilted patch,
the space to plan the hikers’ trip?

Perhaps high bubble vat of ore,
gross floating dross for skimming off,
or Bessemer of molten pig,
pork fat to draw, horse hooves for glue?
Then brittle bones in silhouette,
deep marrow, xylem buried, fed,
black twigs in contrast, sky, red gold,
fingers of promise, hibernate?

Some celebrate the frozen clock,
the capture of a hanging sun;
or land agent, a business deal,
developer, move flock to build.
The chemist, from his daily ground,
for poet, artist, sculptor, clouds;
but most wait winter into spring
the dormant life arise again.

© Stephen Kingsnorth 2020

More Poems from Pictures can be seen and read on the Compass Photography Website. Use this link to go there.

You can see more of Stephen’s other poems on his website by using this link

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