Poetry Orchard

Just to try and balance the birding side, I have been busy doing some other things. I will be going to the Ledbury Poetry Festival in July. They, with other organisations have created the Poetry Orchard which will include a barrel full of poems, each named after an Herefordshire cider apple. They have been published on the poetry orchard website where I have found myself in very good poetic company.
Here is one of mine written from childhood memories but inspired by their idea.

REDSTREAK
(IN TOM JENKINS'S ORCHARD)

I was one of the family
sometimes scarce noticed
by Mollie, Dick or Fred but
Tom was different. He would
light his pipe close to me. We bonded,
shared the aroma of his 'Digger
Flake', rubbed between fingers,
caressed into that old briar pipe
and Swan Vesta lit.

My home, a little orchard, a small
corner. My space next to the
dew pond was sacred, ephemeral.
My spirit still flies, giving it the old
once over. Good people remembered.
You can find them in the Churchyard;
sweet smiles always.