I am reading about the Broomway,
a dangerous stretch of medieval road
that dares courageous souls to trek
when the high tide allows. It is marked
with warnings; death by drowning
is a real consequence, and a nearby
cemetery in a place called Foulness
attests to the truth of this foreboding.
If you dare a visit, mount
the Wakering Stairs and step
upon a path through the vast
Black Grounds. If you can see though
the mist, you’ll glimpse tufts of eelgrass,
a sprinkling of cockle shells, and overhead,
the seabirds in silent flight as they scour
for some sand dwelling fish.
As much a I admire the desire to pilgrimage,
I think I will explore this stretch of creation
from a distance, leave it to the few intrepid
souls who seek the overwhelming silence
of abandoned sand that waits
to be quenched by the returning ocean.
As for me, I’m content
to experience such wondrous places,
whether desolate beach or darkened wood,
as a seasoned armchair traveler happily lost
in page upon page of a well-written book.
—C.L. Fisher, May 2020
Inspiration for this meandering is Robert Macfarlane’s The Old Ways: A Journey on Foot, Kindle Version.
Unless otherwise indicated, all content, including writing and images, are the work of C.L. Fisher and may not be copied, used, or distributed without permission.
Poetic Meanderings 