The Unremembered Gate - and guest posts

“Through the unknown unremembered gate…”

I hear voices. Children’s laughter. They drift on the breeze, reaching me over centuries.
One might say, “once upon a time”…
Ring a ring o’ rosies… we all fall down…
We did fall down, didn’t we, darling.
This land is your land, this land is my land…
But we never learned how to share.
In an English country garden…
But it’s not, is it, darling, it never was.
The African sun shone upon us and lulled us into a sense of well-being. It was a new world, ours for the taking. We recreated Europe, didn’t we, darling. Van der Stel put in the oaks, then Lister planted the pines. Rhodes brought the squirrels, the chaffinches and the deer.
We brought the old world to the new and tried to tame it.
We thought we had, didn’t we, my darling?
We had joy, we had fun…
You see a gate, standing in a field. I see history and memories and hear voices all around me, floating through time. What was still is, what is, always was. Then is now, now is then. The unending cycle of incomprehension and arrogance continues. Nothing really changes.


Since writing this, it seems a few people have found the image of the gate really evocative, so, if you want to, why don't you write your own piece or own thoughts, based on what the gate evokes in you. If you do write about it, let me know and I'll add links to your post.

So far, Bonnie has written this.

And Mother of Invention has written this beautiful and evocative poem - posted both here and on her own blog - with picture. Do go and check out what she says about writing the poem and take a look at the pic - of an open gate - very special.

the open gate

unlatch the padlock
throw off the heavy chain
that binds my gate so tightly closed
so that I may freely
invite you in
to share all that I have seen
for I have seen beauty that knows no bounds…..

enter and behold
my story -
everyone's story
who has ever passed
through this threshold
beyond the lazy vines
that creep and wrap themselves around me
and have been awestruck at the sight
of strong billowy white clouds sailing in a brilliant blue sky
and a gigantic orange globe of fire sink in seconds beneath the horizon –
I beckon you -
your own story awaits

by Mother of Invention

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