God's Palette of Life
As Spring awakens from her wintry slumber
Dawn's pink suffuses a cloud-streaked sky
Cool brown earth then starts erupting
When young green shoots reach upwards, high.
Hedgerows, too, with bluebells burgeon
Heads bowed, as if to greet the day
A lych-gate roof with yellow lichen
Near a country church of slaten grey.
Inside lay flowers on a purple-draped altar,
Purple because in Lent we mourn
Soon to be changed to a golden mantle
As we celebrate on Easter morn!
Airwaves shimmer on a distant horizon
As the sun assumes a fiery shade
Colourful tents on glistening beaches
Children play games they have ever played.
White topped billows on a turquoise ocean
Which slowly turns to an azure blue
As the summer evening shadows lengthen
Twilight is lilac, a crepuscular hue.
A work-weary farmer heads slowly homewards
Past white may blossom on hawthorn trees
Anticipating his soon golden cornfield
Or his barley rippling in the breeze.
Russet apples - it's the season of harvest!
Blackberries flourish on a thorny crown
Trees once clothed in vernal finery
Their leafy dress now orange and brown.
In the church a mouse is stirring
Scuttling past the harvest display
He stops to nibble the ruby red rhubarb
That someone had lovingly picked that day.
Bright orange pumpkins and shiny green marrows
For tomorrow's service, near the altar lay
And the mouse turned silver by a flickering candle
To his darkened sanctuary scurries away.
Autumn changes to a monochrome landscape
Like the magpie wearing his black and white vest
Only the robin in a snow covered garden
Breaks the theme with his bright scarlet breast.
The glassy sun shines through a winter shower
The promise of a rainbow arcs the sky
A silver moon casts her long purple shadows
As dark speckled starlings homeward fly.
The light spills out through stained glass windows
The church bells chime for all to hear
Soon the midnight sky will start to mellow
When all will awake to the Yuletide cheer.
Season by season, their colours unfolding
From God's palette of myriad hues.
Like a kaleidoscope in an eager child's hand
Ever changing - yet as constant as You.