THE SURREY HILLS

I walked along a hill top path
With my old dog Jake
Beneath a cloudless sky of azure blue
The path led us into a sparsely wooden copse
Its leafy canopy defused the strong sun
And provided welcome shade
I decided to rest a while in the cool shadows
I slipped off my back pack
And sat against a trees trunk
I wiped the sweat from my brow
Before taking a bottle from my pack
I poured water into a bowl for Jake
And took a generous swallow for myself
Then I lit my pipe and relaxed
In an aromatic cloud and enjoyed the scene
Specks of sunlight dappled the ground
And midges danced around the sunbeams
As Jake chased the shadows
The time came to move along
And we followed the path back into the sun
And onward along the ridge
After a long slow crawl up the ever steepening path
We reached the summit and were duly rewarded
To see the countryside stretching far to the south
Spread like a great patchwork quilt
This perfect view from the Surrey hills