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 September 2026:
Rookyard Cottage, Holton – Eco-friendly self-catering cottage near Halesworth with private heated indoor swimming pool available
Set in over two acres Valley Farm offers two self-catering cottages, Rookyard Cottage and Swallow Barn, both with eco-friendly features and each sleeping up to four people + cot. Rated AA 4 Stars. WiFi. Private heated indoor swimming pool available. Ten miles from seaside at Southwold. Pets not accepted.
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.
Stoneware Birds – Life-sized handmade and unique British birds, now available to buy online.
A charming unique gift or a treat for oneself. See the website to know how each one is made. Now available to buy online. Each bird is an individual creation, varying in choice from the perky wren to the plump bullfinch together with other well-loved British birds. Which will you choose?
St James South Elmham Village – An ancient and deeply rural village in north-east Suffolk.
St. James South Elmham is a rural village with a strong community and a host of regular community events. Agriculture is at the core of village life and still comes right into its centre. Nowadays, the high-speed broadband service supports farming and family life, and many other activities, services and businesses besides.
Singtong Neeyom Thai Restaurant – Delicious authentic Thai Cuisine
Take a look at Singtong Neeyom Thai Restaurant in the centre of Halesworth, for a range of delicious and skillfully prepared Thai dishes created by their own native Thai, Piek.