ILLUSIONS

[Maureen K Clifford]

ILLUSIONS


A smile drifted 'cross her lovely face softly that springtime morning
as the curtains at the windows gently billowed to and fro.
Tiny dust motes danced in the sun’s rays that fell upon her bedspread,
whilst outside she heard the whispering trees and heard the cockerels crow.
Looking down she saw her children playing on the grass below.

She leant against the window frame admiring the gardens beauty.
Saw how the roses soft and silky glittered with the dew.
Noted frothy clumps of daisies, spilling brilliant in the sunlight.
She was surrounded here with loved ones and a sense of déjà vu,
though in Spring it seemed that everything was fresh, and bright and new.

Far distant hills were violet tinged, the paddocks flecked with green.
The ewes and new born lambs sought coolness in the Ironbarks shade.
Lacy leaves of pepperina trees on creek banks barely moved.
A new day warm and sunny, natures beauty all displayed
with no errant breezes flirting and no magpies serenade.

She saw the horse and rider, coming swiftly down the track,
with three dogs running easily at his side,
and noticed how the dust was kicked up by the geldings hooves
She always thought how well that bloke could ride.
She smiled. remembering herself as his bride..

She turned towards the mirror, for she must tidy her hair,
make herself pretty ‘fore she went to meet her man.
The face she saw reflected, now was wrinkled. Hair was gray.
She looked and looked again, and didn't really understand
as she slowly brushed her hair with a shaking aged hand.

When she turned again to gaze out of her window,
the distant hills had vanished and the roses were all gone
The pepperina trees along the creek banks were no longer
and no sheep and lambs were clustered in a throng.
Nowhere at all could she hear the birdsong.

The horse and rider disappeared, to where she was not sure
and the dogs and children too it seemed had left.
She realized that what she'd seen had only been her memories
and her heart was filled with sadness at the theft.
It was only an illusion....sad tears fell from one bereft.

Maureen Clifford ©

[Stephen Whiteside]

Very sad, Maureen, but beautiful in its detail.

By the way, line 2, final verse - I think the first 'had' has been typed in error.

[Maureen K Clifford]

Thanks Stephen Corrected the error as well - one of my little inversion thingies that Nev doesn't like that I put around the right way and then went into overkill and left them both there.