Bethany Rivers

The place nature created just for you

You sit on the jetty over the large pond, dusk drawing in, you sit and breathe as the reeds tickle the tops of your knees. Now that the words of the day have fallen away, there’s a new sound. A scuffling through old leaves under the hedge, somewhere behind you. You know it’s not a person, not a bear. You’re not afraid, just curious. It sounds like a large creature, to-ing and fro-ing.

ripples
across the water
wind language

There’s no point standing up and wandering over. It’s too dark to see. You sit and think you’ll never know what is furrowing, burrowing, scuttling through dead oak leaves. After a while, this doesn’t bother you. The trees, grass, water and creatures have been waiting for this long moment of stillness.

You open your palms, open to the breeze. The creature edges nearer. You can just about make out its snuffling journey through decayed leaves, past you, and over to the nettles and reeds.

sunrise
smell of undergrowth
in your hair