Dory reads some more from the lovely book ‘Lost Words’

Hi, this is Dory, and I thought I’d read another couple of pages out of “The Lost Words” by Robert Macfarlane and illustrated by Jackie Morris.

This one is called “Conker”.

Cabinet-maker, could you craft me a conker?

Oil its wood, burnish its veneer, set it glowing from within?

Never. Not a chance. No hope at all.

King, then, could you command me a conker?
Compel its green spikes to grow, its white plush
to thicken?

Impossible. Impractical. Inconceivable.

Engineer, surely you could design me a conker?
Refine its form, mill its curves and edges?
Manufacture me that magic casket?

Unfeasible. Unworkable. Unimaginable.

Realise this (said the Cabinet-maker, the King and
the Engineer together), conker cannot be made,
however you ask it, whatever word or tool you use,
regardless of decree. Only one thing can conjure
conker – and that thing is tree.

I love that one. I’ll do another one. This is another one I like.

This one is called “Bluebell.”

Blue flowers at the blue hour –
Late-day light in a bluebell wood.
Under branch, below leaf,
billows blue so deep, sea-deep,
Each step is taken in an ocean.
Blue flows at the blue hour:
colour is current, undertow,
Enter the wood with care, my love,
Lest you are pulled down by the hue,
Lost in the depths, drowned in blue.

I think that’s beautiful and there’s a beautiful illustration by Jackie Morris of a bluebell.

I love this book!

Ok, bye, I’ll do some more in the week.