Returning from the shops a week or two back, I stopped at a bench on the outskirts of the park near my home. As I sat gazing into the distance and enjoying the rest, I was struck by the formation of the clouds on the horizon, which seemed to me like some vast Olympian city of the gods hovering in the sky. In my imagination I could see tall, robed figures, their noble brows adorned with laurel wreaths, strolling leisurely amongst immense, marbled columns, untroubled by the cares and woes that so often beset we mere mortals.
The park greenery lay before me like JACK KIRBY's NEW GENESIS, while 'SUPERTOWN' floated serenely overhead. Were they, in some benign and bemused way, studying we finite beings who live our lives in the blink of an eye compared to the eons-long span which gods are heir to? Did they observe me looking longingly at their heavenly haven? Did kindness touch their hearts for one brief moment and cause them to call to me, inviting me to stride the streets of their celestial city, there to spend my days in idyllic pursuits, free from the ravages of time?
Then a dog barked and, alas, the fragile spell was broken. Returned to reality, I bent and retrieved the shopping bags which lay at my feet. With one last lingering look at the city in the sky, I turned and slowly made my way up the hill to where, at journey's end, a far more humble home awaited me than the one which had so recently seemed to beckon.
Cloud formations can be quite seductive, can't they? Too many people forget to look upwards, when they're going about their business.
ReplyDeleteMartin, I could stare at clouds all day sometimes. And my head is often in them.
ReplyDeleteI think you must have fallen asleep watching the BBC kid! That`s all they`ve been prattling on about for months now,Olympics this,bloody Olympics that!!I`m sick to death of it all,already.
ReplyDeleteIf you looked closely enough at those laurel clad figures floating above you, you might have recognised Seb Coe and the rest of his olympic cotterie of pampered officials scuttling from one 5 star hotel to the next running up an enormous bill into the bargain.At a time when the economy is in crisis,or so they would tell us.Hmmm...
Oh dear,i do find myself cynically prattling on these days.Where is that park bench kid? i think i need a seat.
Me watch the Olympics? You've got to be joking! Nah, Seb Coe and his crew weren't there - it was a different class of Olympian I was referring to. The park bench? You've got to pick your times - otherwise it's occupied by old jakeys, underage drinkers - or me.
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