Of “Fire and Ice”

The Lily Pond

is the heart

of the garden.

Its surface reflects our world

But its depths contain another, equally mysterious one.

At its centre is a hot pink water lily, ‘Escarboucle’.

I have sat, even lain by the pond, drank wine, been in love.

On a summer’s evening its stones are hot with the day’s sun.

As I walked to the bonfire in the woods the other day the lily pool was frozen and steely.

Some of the leaves of the lily were trapped half in and half out of the water.

I suspected I had never seen such complex and beautiful ice patterns on the surface.

I stood by the fire in the woods and tended it until it was dark.

I thought of Robert Frost’s “Fire and Ice”.

Of course in the pond’s world the lily blooms again.

R

PS

“Fire and Ice” by Robert Frost

“Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.”

 

Category: Design Bites, General, General Gardening Stuff, The Planty Stuff