Thursday 12 September 2024

Viewing a Landscape through Cataracts

Nothing is clear, all is blurred green
with blotched lights strung out like beads
while every dew-drop glows
at the centre of its own rainbow.
We seem to be in the middle of fields
and there looks to be woodland over there.
I wish I could see the birds that are singing.

Surgery will soon fix my eyes:
these blurred colours will resolve
back into shapes and meaningful things
but nothing is clear for this land -
any time in the future, all this greenery
could be erased just by the whim
of a bureaucrat's pen.


(inspired by Green Terrain by Kelly Austin-Rolo, and originally published on Ekphrastic Review

**

Since writing this poem, I've had cataract surgery on my left eye (my right eye was done seven years ago) and my eyesight is much improved. 

Sadly, despite the change in government in the UK, the future for the UK's green spaces is no more secure than it was with the previous government.

4 comments:

JoanieMc said...

Thank you for that poem, glad to see (no pun intended!) that you are getting your other eye done soon. I am in the same boat, getting both eyes done soon.

Jeff said...

I had my annual eye physical yesterday and the doc said that while there are a bit of cataract development, I"m still a few years away from surgery. I'm glad your surgery worked and hope Britain protects its green space.

MELODY JACOB said...

Your words beautifully capture the contrast between personal clarity and the uncertain fate of nature. It's a poignant reflection on how fragile both vision and landscapes can be. I just published a new blog post. Check it out here: https://www.melodyjacob.com/2024/09/watcher-2022-thriller-movie-review.html. Would love to hear your thoughts! Feel free to share it if you find it useful.

Crafty Green Poet said...

Hi Joanie, no they've both been done! One was seven years ago, the other earlier this year. Good luck with your ops, hope you find your eyesight much improved after wards!

Hi Jeff, hope you get your cataract surgery done in good time and that it helps your sight.

Thanks Melody, I'll read your latest post in the next wee while.