The One Who Does Not Go Straight Home

I am the hare
who does not go
straight home.

I relish the cool dew
on my whiskers,
the wind in ears and scut.

Dawn steals
past the farmer’s gate
and I follow in its honeyed wake,

zig-zagging fields,
up and down hills,
among the yellow daffodils,

too full of giddiness
to go straight home to bed.
Instead,

I stop,
watch the sun poke
holes in the grey,

and revel in its brightness
just a little longer
before I am ready to relinquish the day.

Kim M. Russell, 5th March 2020

Image result for free images brown hare
Image found on Adobe Stock

 

A March hare poem for dVerse Poets Pub Open Link Night, also linked to Poets and Storytellers United Writers’ Pantry

Sarah and I recently read a most enjoyable, anecdotal, non-fiction book by Tom Cox, stave by stave with The Pigeonhole. It’s a celebration of British countryside and eccentricity called Ring the Hill, in which Tom Cox devotes much of a chapter to the hare. He shares a list of its many colloquial names, one of which really spoke to me and compelled me to use it in a poem, hence the title of this one.

I won’t be writing any poems or linking up any old ones next week, as I will be focusing on my grandson, who till be two years old tomorrow!

98 thoughts on “The One Who Does Not Go Straight Home”

  6. A lovely tale of joyous freedom and living for love of the day.
    Scut is a wonderful word, isn’t it?
    Enjoy your time with your lovely grandson – the birthday boy, two!
    Anna :o]

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    Reply

    1. Thank you, Anna! I agree about the word ‘scut’ -apparently it dates back to over 400 years, but you don’t hear or see it these days. Sadly , I won’t see Lucas tomorrow, but I’ll make up for it when I get there!

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  7. The poet and the hare, shades of Watership Down. The frolic is infectious. I like the line /dawn steals past the farmer’s gate/. Cool making the hare first person too.

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  11. Lovely read Kim… It made me want to be a hare – for at least as I was reading your lovely rendition of this creatures pastoral existence…

    Liked by 1 person

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  14. This is delightfully woven, Kim! 💝 I especially love; “I stop, watch the sun poke holes in the grey, and revel in its brightness just a little longer.” 😀

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  18. I love this poem, the hare enjoying the present moment as full-heartedly as creatures do. Enjoy your grandson’s birthday. Two is such a precious age.

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  24. A great, fresh vibrant write – even second time around this morning… My favourite lines:

    “I stop,
    watch the sun poke
    holes in the grey…” Stellar stuff…

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  36. OK, Kim, may I be the first to relish praise upon this poem today. I have difficulty watching rabbits, because of the prevalence of hawks, but this old goodie gets my toe tapping.

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  38. ha. un. have the rabbits been as plentiful your way as they have been here. seriously, the pandemic has been good for the rabbits in virginia. they are everywhere. lol. careful though little bunny, hang out in the farmers garden too long and you might catch some buckshot. but perhaps it is worth the risk to linger longer.

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    1. Funny you should ask that, Brian. I haven’t seen any rabbits, and I was sure they’d be tempted by the radishes I’m growing. I spotted hares in the area a while back, but haven’t been out much.

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  40. I can see every bit of it in my mind, but I particularly love this part:
    “Dawn steals
    past the farmer’s gate
    and I follow in its honeyed wake,”
    So glad you brought this out for another viewing, Kim.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  43. kaykuala

    Life can be full of excitement one would want to bask in its wake as much as possible. Afterall it is not easy to apprehend those hare and rabbits out there enjoying the sun. Nice thoughts Kim!

    Hank

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  48. This is simply delightful, I love the rhyming, it is so musical and yet not forced. this is one of my favorites of yours. So nice to be able to enjly and imbibe the glow and beauty of a world. Love this Kim 🙂

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