Deficiency of kindness

The sunrise burns the sky

A carefully coloured explosion

Blooded light flooding the low Kent fields that lie

Before Maidstone, excreting soundless motion:

Yellow carnations sway

With this violent advent of day.

 

In Hucking Estate diaphanous bluebells nestle

Beneath the mottled canopy

Of Ash. Oak; the encroaching stinging nettle

Shields the frequent woodland scree

Covering with a verdant flush

Brooks that through the stones invisibly rush.

 

Within the hour, the Gorgon-headed sun

Sweeps aside the cloud-

The red into blue and orange has run

And in Lower Fullingpits Wood the increasingly  loud

Shuffling of badger attacking vole, fox strangling rabbit,

All compounded into daily habit.

 

The Kent Downs rise and fall

Like resurrected earth-bound music from a time

When hill, wood and pool

Emerged from unfettered chalk and lime.

Before the Cantii hunted in ancient Wents Wood,

For deer and boar, spurred not by hunger but for the love of blood.

 

Above the sparrow-hawk attacks the sparrows

Claw enmeshed in feather

Beak unravelling neck. The unalterable sorrows

Of nature and weather.

Cruelty never ceases, but just gets more efficient,

Kindness always remains deficient.