THE SHORT CUT

Off she set on her regular walk, Her routine daily excursion, But feeling somewhat daring She took a little diversion. Through the field and over the stile With a good spring in her step, Hoping to remember the way back home And wouldn’t get lost and forget. She came across a little girl Skipping and singing a song Who then slipped off in the distance — In the blink of an eye she had gone. Along the way was a cyclist With books tucked under one arm, She cycled off in an instant With the look of a stern school ma’am. A little bit further along the way She came upon a man Who looked so young and familiar to her But turning back he had gone. Then two little school girls ran by her Rushing by in a dash, She wanted to straighten their pony tails But the girls were gone in a flash. She smiled inside at what she had seen With no time to meet and greet And no time to stand and take it all in But gone in a sudden heartbeat. She came to the end of the rustic road Turning back the way that she came And taking the time now to stand and stare Read the road sign: Memory Lane.

Sheila Webb, Chesham, Bucks.