Dewdrop
In the half light of early morn,
in the quiet of the country lane,
a gentle rain desists,
soft lowing in a field of cows,
their breath puff breaths,
soft clouds of mists,
I tread softly,
but startle a grouse,
It flaps,
I pass a house,
with a crooked roof,
A machine that ploughs,
sits still;
It waits for drier weather.
My step disturbs a puddle,
the sky in it ripples.
On a calm lake’s surface gleam,
a family of grebes,
swim.
From over the hill,
and from the sea,
I hear the plaintive cry,
of curlew, calling,
The lane leads to the lea,
I walk between high hedgerows,
covered in dew,
and raindrops,
falling,
Dewdrops linger,
like threaded beads,
strung on a silver web,
mirroring tiny spectral orbs,
of fortune;
diamonds of morning light,
held by silken threads,
of arachnid might,
glinting,
in this gentle dawn,
Bejewelled hedge,
dripping with gems,
each one born from ancient rains—
a glistening dewdrop child,
seeping through ancient stones from eternity,
to shine upon a spider's woven net,
and last only a breath in the wild.
The simple hedgerow shrub,
bedecked with this dewy necklace,
where all can see,
the delicate beauty,
bathed and bedewed,
in god’s own mystery.
Lelsey Scoble, August 2024
I wrote my poem, Dewdrop, to Selma Martin’s prompt for the W3 Poetry Prompt #121.
Selma is this week’s most worthy Poet-of-the-Week (You can read her winning poem here.).
Selma’s prompt is to write about “The beauty and perpetuity of the natural world that surrounds you; to think about the simplicity of a blade of grass or a flower petal, of how every detail IS a life of its own;”
Read Selma’s Full Prompt Guidelines here
Selma’s prompt guidelines
- Theme: The beauty and perpetuity of the natural world that surrounds you;
o Think about the simplicity of a blade of grass or a flower petal, of how every detail IS a life of its own;
- Form: Any form;
- Length: No longer than 400 words, but not too short;
o If you write haiku or any of the short syllabic forms, please make it a long series where we can feel your surroundings.
Inspiration for this W3 prompt
Louise Glück (1943-2023) was a famed poet and essayist.
CREDITS
My thanks to Selma Martin for her inspiring prompt.
My thanks, as always, to David Bogomolny. Our most gracious host at The Skeptics Kaddish.
My thanks to my son, Daniel, for his iPhone photo of the dewdrops on a spider’s web. He took the shot on one of our recent walks in Wales. The walk also helped inspire my poem (I didn’t include when I fell down a swampy hole!).
Lesley lives in the City of London Square Mile. An artist, actor and sculptor (her first ceramic sculpture won the V&A inspired by… Award). Scenic artist & book illustrator, playwright (her musical play, Rapscallion performed in inner city schools and theatre school); TV dancer; Animator and illustrator for TV production. Set up Pinecone Studios Ltd and IIMSI Ltd drama and filmmaking workshops in London – producing award-winning films made by children.
LesleyScoble.com 
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