Fair Game

A Dorset lad, just fifteen years
Loads double-gun for squire’s shoot.
Father’s battle-line of beaters
Crash through brush in wild pursuit
Of partridge in their coven. Flushed
To flight on whirring wings, muted
By cannonade, the boy’s cry, stepping out
Half-blinded by the shot.

Notes:
My great-grandfather was double gunner for the Charborough Estate shoot, Bere Regis (double gunner is a shotgun loader able to ready and pass the loaded gun and take and reload the empty shotgun before the firing of 2 rounds). Obviously he survived the injury.

Illustration – Bere Regis church where he was baptised and worshipped. – artist John Everett

Just 44 words for the Quadrille prompt: Flush

20 thoughts on “Fair Game

  1. Lovely piece Laura – this tragic (and probably typical) story. So like how you’ve captured the action – with the line break ‘Flushed / To flight on whirring wings…’ I’m guessing there’s more writing from this story to come? And wonderful painting.

    1. I’m not sure about any continuations Peter but thank you for your appreciation.
      p.s. Had not known much about this Dorset artist til I wrote this – he became renowned as a seascape artist and I must go and see the artwork he left to the nation at Greenwich

  2. A very descriptive story packed into 44 words and I especially like the the phrase….” Flushed
    To flight on whirring wings”.

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