Carriage Horses, a poem.
Carriage Horses trotting through Wellington Arch, September 2020. | © Photographed by H. Grace.
Like the soft, grey clouds which come floating in, forming a canopy above us on certain days, in just a few hours, minutes, these clouds shift, providing us with the surprising appearance of the sun for the rest of the afternoon, before blanketing over us again for the evening — this is London after all, and we can never assuringly predict how it’s going to remain, but it is in this space of time when clouds disperse, inviting the sun to shine and for some blue to paint the sky which surprises and warms, believing the unexpected is not always the bearer of bad news. And like some ordinary days which evolve into delicate, inspirational ones, simply going for a wander and taking notice of what’s around, finding the charm and connection with what you’re drawn towards shifts the mind.
Not knowing what the day will bring, stepping out to purchase typewriting paper and envelopes, I came across a stone water trough for horses filled with flowers on Cromwell Gardens, opposite the V&A museum, which spoke to me poetically. As I crossed the lights towards the north of Exhibition Road, inspiration grew to string words together, and on my walk, I produced a short poem titled Carriage Horses, representing the Borough of Kensington & Chelsea, contributing towards the Royal Society of Literature’s initiative Write Across London Poetry Map — showcasing London’s poetic creativity and the strength in poetry bringing us closer together.
Earlier in June 2021, I was most grateful for the support of the Royal Society of Literature in sharing our community poetry project, A Poetic Conversation with their audience via Twitter, and we appreciate everything the RSL creates and advocates.
If you live in London and have a poem to share, do consider contributing towards the wonderful initiative open until October 7, 2021.
