“All that I could lose
I lost. And then the child’s voice raised the dead”.
I am no stalking devotee
who haunts the houses of the great
or watches from the shy side-lines
for a poet’s ghost of such import
And yet I’ve been to Adlestrop1
but not by train, the station’s gone
only the platform name remains
of which you made phenomenon
How quiet there except for birds
that sang the counties near and far
and still it is in Gloucestershire
foot stepping through your repertoire
Reciting those fine words again
that first my childlike ears had heard
I raise you from an Arras field2
and make believe you disappeared
- see the poem Adlestrop ↩︎
- killed in the battle of Arras, when Edward Thomas’ first book of poems was going to press ↩︎
For Open Link Night @dVerse where Lillian is host and anything goes. Just a simple poem for Edward Thomas (1878-1917) and his colloquial style of poetry. Epigraph from his poem The Brook.
PoetryPix 
I detect a combination of an ode and a eulogy. I enjoyed this very much.
yes Lillian – it is such a hybrid of sorts
In the echo of a distant station’s name, one poet in place, astonishing another.
thank you Brendan – Thomas had such a way with seemingly simple poems – (and no wonder a friend of Robert Frost)
This is such a powerful poem, Laura! The image of the station that is no longer there except the platform’s name, alone, speaks volumes to the reader. Kudos ❤️❤️
yes the station is gone but the name has been kept because it was made famous by Thomas’poem – my daughter and I visited there
Ah, I remember Adlestrop.
yes and have always loved it and Thomas’ poetry as well as his prose
We had a short break based in Adlestrop when we lived in Ludlow.
some happy memories you need right now!
The spirit he captured in his words remains in the place that inspired them. I never thought of that aspect of poetry before, but it’s true. (K)
the impact denotes the spirit left behind. I am so touched by his words and the fate that awaited shortly after
Such a gentle piece. I love how you bring him close just by being in the places he once wrote about
thank you Marja – I tried to write in that same vein the poet had
I’m fond of Thomas, especially Adlestrop, Laura, but I’ve never been there. I imagine it’s like the stations that disappeared across Norfolk; we have one not far from here that has become part of a walk along what was once railway tracks, one we like to walk. I enjoyed the gentle pace and conversational tone of your poem.
many thanks Kim – the Adlestrop sign is part of a bus stop now but I do love to take walks along abandoned railways
A lovely reference to Thomas’ poem…and appreciated re-reading it at the link.
glad you did the re-read Lynne and thank you