The Fig Tree
There is
Some Dionysian connection
Here beneath the tree.
Its leathery leaves
Late this year.
Large enough now
To cover Adam's endowment,
Eve's mounting embarrassment.
The green roughness
Raising awareness
Of new fleshly delights.
Skin abraded gently
And not without pleasure.
There is a coolness here.
Hard by the house,
A shadowed sussurus
Making no impression
On the bricks.
Planted close to the wall,
Its tap root
Deep in the sandy earth,
Probing the moisture
Held in some cistern,
Filled with rain
And occasional flooding
From the river.
Whose saltiness
Silvering the trunk,
Drops the fruit
Before their time.
Allowing us the shade
In lieu.
The presence of the God is here
Under the leaves' green beneficence
A cool umbra over us all,
As we lift the wine
On Summer evenings,
Before we drink
And know his scented breath.
Some Favourite Websites For May 2026:
Sandpiper Beach Hut – A Traditional beach hut on Southwold seafront available to rent by the week
Sandpiper Beach Hut is a traditional Southwold Beach Hut. It has an excellent position overlooking Southwold Beach and Promenade with superb sea views and a stunning sandy beach.
Hetty’s Little Copy Shop – A wide range of printing services - including 3D - plus passport photos and more
The Little Copy Shop is in Thoroughfare, Halesworth, and offers all sorts of useful services involving printing, laminating, scanning, binding and copying plus various photographic services including passport photos.
Wissett Village Hall – A well furnished and practical Village Hall for use for events up to 70 standing or 50 seated
Wissett Village Hall prides itself on high quality affordability and is used regularly for a wide variety of events, including but not limited to carpet bowls, yoga, meetings, dinners and parties, jumbles sales, quizzes, horticultural events and art classes.
Kate Mawdsley Printmaker – Buy unique and varied Lino Cut and Etching prints of the Blyth Valley countryside
It’s a wonderfully refreshing change to produce individual hand printed images. Each one is unique with its subtle variations in colour and texture. Kate only produces a very limited number of each print and particularly enjoys creating prints of the local Suffolk countryside.
Walberswick Ferry – Offering river trips as well as special occassion bookings
Climb aboard the launch Daybreeze and follow the River Blyth towards Blythburgh through Walberswick Nature Reserve - an Area of Outstanding National Beauty.