It had taken many years

It had taken many years

But now he could sit quietly

On a grassy bank

Overlooking the estuary

All morning

Without feeling a hint of guilt

Barely a smidgeon of sadness,

A pinch of disdain

Not necessarily happy but content

A sip from a hip flask, a gulp of coffee

Refreshed every once in a while

With a slow stroll to the mobile cafe

In the car park.

The river glistened in the sunlight, dappled,

Playful in reflection,

Dragonflies darted around like fighter jets

In a World war 2 re-enactment

Yachts moved hazily against the grey

Of an island out in the bay,

He had forgotten its name

A dog sat obediently between the legs of a paddleboarder

Would that he didn’t lunge at a passing fish

The dog, not the man

The water looked inviting

Lazy and benign

A man had drowned in floodwater further upstream

Nothing was ever as simple as it seemed

He had a numb posterior

His knees were frozen

But this was his time to waste

He was in no haste to move

Gingerly or otherwise

There might not be many more days

To gaze at the majesty of the river

The wonder of nature

In the all-around, Daffodils grew

They were ablaze in the fire of morning

The willows wept

Slender branches reaching

Down to dip into the water

It was spring again

And he was still able to enjoy it

There was no shame in living

Without the contrivance of a purpose

Simple pleasures were meaningful

Without artifice and freely given

Just waiting to be appreciated

In all their splendour

Without claim of expectation or reward

How had he not taken the trouble

To do nothing,

Until now?