Shadow-play frozen, intricate shapes -
Branches barren, no fallen leaves.
Radial glow through radial spikes;
Passing sprays of illumined night.
I pass no corners, the trees seem flat -
Flickering hedges emphasise that.
The Sumnal lazy car-train passed
the icy rush to sheltered times.
Shadows flicker a powdery glare -
My eyelids flicker to join them there.
But could I join the flattening trees,
Their radial glow may comfort me.
Movement, light, shadows, still.
Still in motion, catch my will.
Passing, fallen, flattened, bare.
I, a tree; a mutual stare.
- Simon Huggins, 15th November 2001
Author’s note: The word Sumnal is not in the English Dictionary, but I have used it in a past poem, and my thoughts are that it expresses the feeling behind summery days much better then the word summery (which sounds rather glib and lightweight). It is derived in the same way as Autumnal stems from Autumn.