The Open Window

MY tower was grimly builded,
With many a bolt and bar,
'And here,' I thought, 'I will keep my life
From the bitter world afar.'

Dark and chill was the stony floor,
Where never a sunbeam lay,
And the mould crept up on the dreary wall,
With its ghost touch, day by day.

One morn, in my sullen musings,
A flutter and cry I heard;
And close at the rusty casement
There clung a frightened bird.

Then back I flung the shutter
That was never before undone,
And I kept till its wings were rested
The little weary one.

But in through the open window,
Which I had forgot to close,
There had burst a gush of sunshine
And a summer scent of rose.

For all the while I had burrowed
There in my dingy tower,
Lo! the birds had sung and the leaves had danced
From hour to sunny hour.

And such balm and warmth and beauty
Came drifting in since then,
That the window still stands open
And shall never be shut again.
Edward Roland Sill (1841-87)

A still and silvery day after a wet night. I ventured out in search of dereliction. This is one of my favourites - Gitama fell in love with it when she was over - but now the windows are going, tiles are off the roof and gutters are slipping. It has a gentle air. This is the former best room - still complete with shutters, an old dresser still containing licheny glasses and some old delft, bakerlite light switches and rather bizarrely, a mouldy pale blue futon. No fluttering birds but there is a small rabbit skeleton on the floor.


It was such a beautiful afternoon I went on down to Reenmore - not a wisps of wind. I was accompanied by the bouncy farm dog. I have never known a dog pee quite as much - my car was covered before I had even got out and literally every bush was honoured as we walked down towards the strand. He had a fine old time as we indulged in a bit of beachcombing and did that uber mournful  look dogs are so good at when you get in the car and leave them!

Thanks to Serpentine for hosting DS for the last month - a great job especially as she's gadding around India with not much wifi. I think 60Plus is taking over for February.

And don't forget - it's International Holy Well Month coming up very shortly! The excitement. I think we might tag IHWM17 this time.