Forgotten Ground Regained
Leaf
Originally published In Withowinde 116, p.14, Winter, 198
On reading: Sutton Hoo: Burial Ground of Kings?
A swirl of leaves ‧ sail on the breeze,fueling hopes ‧ of a far-faring kin.Wind and wave-splash ‧ wash along gunwhalesshaped for speed ‧ when sail is full.A launch moves like ‧ a leaf on the water,A foam-necked floater ‧ on favorable winds.Blown to new shores, blessed in the effort,In an age of darkness, East Anglia bound.Billowing sail ‧ braced to travelOn mast amidship ‧ made for high seas.Stem and sternposts ‧ strengthening all,With sea and spray ‧ and sun on wave,The land lay ahead, ‧ their heritage behind;readying the future, remembering the past.The coming of kings, ‧ contacts, alliances,left earthen enclavess ‧ along the Deben.Still, monarches reign ‧ fleeting moments in timeLeaving only remnants ‧ remaining to ponder.Who knows now of ‧ that name long ago?Time and the elements ‧ have taken their tollon leaf and legend. Lost in the soil.The past reveals relics ‧ that pale in comparisonto what must have been ‧ beautiful and wondrous.Horn of aurochs ‧ ancient in runelore,shield and sceptre, ten silver bowls,the honored helmet ‧ an icon to us,with its animal spirits ‧ spanning that crown.Sword and scramasax, gold shoulder clasps,buried with baldric ‧ and great golden buckle decorated in serpentine ‧ interlace symbolsonly understood ‧ in that age of darkness.With lyre for music, and mailcoat for war,a lamp of beeswax ‧ to light the dark way,axe-hammer, spears, and the spoons of mystery;the riddle of Saul and Paul, remains an enigma.All lay in leaf ‧ now lost to the worldAlong with that souln ‧ sailing uncharted seas.
Copyright © Larry A. Hood, 1998
Reprinted with the permission of his family.
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Answer: time