Children Playing In The Wood Poem by John Rickell

I saw them in the wood playing hide-and-seek
old fashioned clothes hoods and leggings
as in the photographs.
What a game they played!
hid behind the trees hands about their faces,
count to ten, ’I'm coming’ but I could hear no voices,
the woodland colder now could not hear their mother
no bird song in the air …………………..
Went a little further, the path known so well
cracking twigs and cones, Jack barking at the wind.
I wore no hat or gloves not so cold today I thought,
but a mist enclosed me in fog, or so it seemed
yet it was only noon and the sun shone bright.
Jack to my side pressed against my leg
stayed close, unusual for him,
wished I had my hat and gloves, another mile to go.
Children playing hide-and-seek,
dressed in white all three their bonnets and their boots
I asked them where their mummy was
as silent now as then..........
turning looked at me and melted in the sun.