"The Golden Path of Cox’s Orange Pippins"

(Sestina posted on behalf of J Hutchinson)

The elderly apple tree buckles
under the weight of the Cox’s Orange Pippins.
The autumn sky streaked across the horizon like a stream
of amber nectar. Tom loves to ride his gold
bike through the woods to Sandy Lands.
Tom tells Sam "let’s catch some tiddlers in the river."

Splashing through the ford, Tom swerves on a river
of autumn russets. Whilst he ties the buckles
on his sandles, an apple lands
on his head. "Look at your coat-you are all muddy now, Pippins-
never mind, let’s search for gold-
we can jump across those stepping stones in that stream."

The two brothers thread their way through the winding stream-
their eyes focused on the swirling waters in the flowing river.
A rush of excitement builds up. "We might find some gold."
The muddy earth clings round Tom’s feet. "The buckles
on my sandals have come loose. Tom turns to his dog, Pippins
"Come on-my feet are all wet. We can’t go to Sandy Lands."

Sun bleached fence posts lay at the entrance of the park ‘Lands.’
Dejected, the two brothers walk alongside the grassy banking of the stream.
Amidst the gnarled apple tree, Tom sees splashes of yellow Pippins,
some of which have fallen in the river.
Tom feels sorry for the poor old tree, which bends and buckles
in the wind. The vibrant autumnal leaves have fallen into a path of gold.

"Tom, let’s carry some of these apples-Mum loves the warm gold
colour for her jams. But, look your sodden sandals will land
us in trouble. Mum will be cross when she sees the buckles.
The sun broke into bits, sprinkling its reflecting warmth in the curling stream
Sulking, Sam says, "Tom, we didn’t catch any tiddlers in the river."
The Jack Russell jumps up at grubby Tom. "Its time we went home Pippins."

Tom watches buoyant balls of fruit in the water. "Look at those Pippins,
Sam. Mum could have made us toffee apples, all sticky and gold."
"I know Tom," says Sam. Let’s skim stones along the river."
Tom shakes his head. "I don’t want to go to Sandy Lands
Because it’s dangerous if you cycle too close to the stream-"
Sam teases Tom, "you will get the spokes caught in your buckles."

"Stop yelping, Pippins." A morose mass of bracken recedes as Sandy Lands
disappears. "Sam, next time, why don’t we look for goldfish in the stream?"
"When you go in the river, Tom, don’t wear those sandals with buckles."



J Hutchinson
Sestina