Field Fever...

[Oldfloss]

I must go down to the fields again, to the trails so rough and wild

And all I ask is strong legs and the day to be soft and mild;

And the dry tracks and a flat route and the green leaves shaking,

And rose-tipped clouds in a clear blue sky, and a bright dawn breaking.

I must go down to the fields again, for the call of the running way,

Is a wild call and a clear call that always, we must obey;

And all I ask is my feet landing light, and my breathing to be steady

And the long rest on the Injury Couch, ensuring that I am ready.

I must go down to the fields again, to the running wild and free.

To the rooks in their nests, and the grazing sheep, and the distant hills to see;

And all I ask is to do this run, for the feeling of being alive,

Just watch for a post tomorrow, to see that I have survived

PS

Apologies to John Masefield

PPS

I did survive...post follows

[Millsie-J Graduate]

Lovely post Oldfloss. You have the weather so thats a great start.

Like you I have ventured out for a run this morning post sickness couch. Lovely run, not far, not fast but I ran, because I can 😀🏃🏻‍♀️💪🏻

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to Millsie-J]

Yeay!!!!! Go you.. we survive to run another day!!!!!

Well done xxx

[Devonwalker]

As someone who used to live & work on boats, but is now a firm landlubber, this made me chuckle a lot!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to Devonwalker]

Always nice to make folk smile

[misswobble Graduate]

Ha ha, love it Floss 😀 JM would be pleased to hear himself bring reprised I'm sure. Glad you lived to tell the tale 🙂

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to misswobble]

Thanks.. just a bit of fun.. and I added the pikkie and PS when I returned unscathed So glad to be out there again!!

[AnneDroid Graduate]

What a fab post. You are our very own Poet in Residence and we love you.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to AnneDroid]

Thank you so much... xxx

Just so glad to be out there and really not feeling too unfit Post will follow

[Irish-John Graduate]

LOVE IT! ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!!!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

I am just glad I survived !!! Slow and steady.. as ever..

[Joy57 Graduate]

Beautiful, scans so well! I also had a lovely run this morning, along the canal, a bit windy but the trees sheltered me for part of the way. Great day for it.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to Joy57]

Thanks..JM certainly knew his stuff! It was a beautiful morning..glad you had a,good run..it sounds lovely..🙂

[RainbowC Graduate]

Did you know it's World Poetry Day today? So apt!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to RainbowC]

No..! Oooo I had better write an original...!!😃

[RainbowC Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Ooh yes please! We love Old Floss Originals 😊

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to RainbowC]

x

[Irishprincess Graduate]

That's beautiful Floss. Am so pleased you're off the old SC and running again 🤗 x

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to Irishprincess]

Thanks Your Maj'...not sure whether I am A1..but..well enough for a jogette!🙂

[Irishprincess Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

A jogette is always good 😊 x

[Tomas Graduate]

Love your poetry Oldfloos. Thank you so much for sharing

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to Tomas]

Just a giggle... so glad to be off the IC.... hoping to stay off it for a while

Thank youx

[aliboo70 in reply to Oldfloss]

Is Tomas calling you an old floos !! ??!!

Well done floss you clever thing! A great new version! Will look forward to reading your post!😊

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to aliboo70]

Oooo! Am I a Floos or an old floos or an old floosie ?

Love it.

Soooo glad to have done a little jogette, ( slow and steady) today Alixxxx

[aliboo70 in reply to Oldfloss]

Wasn't going to say floosie!!!

But as you said it that's ok!!! 😆😊xxx

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to aliboo70]

I used to have a pair of Christmas socks, bought by a friend, with Festive Floosie written on, but Mr Oldfloss did not like them.. Tee heex

[poppypug Graduate in reply to aliboo70]

Ha ha Floos on the loose ! xxx

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to poppypug]

Watch out world.. It is Spring you know x

[poppypug Graduate]

Wahey ! You're back , fab !

Great stuff our lovely Floss , all's well that ends well xxx

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to poppypug]

Hoping so PP.. I was beginning to really dislike the IC; although, I think the enforced general slowing down of me, actually has helped

Thanks you xxxx

[JaySeeSkinny Graduate]

Brilliant stuff. So glad you're back and off the IC. Soon you'll be speeding off again (no grey snail any more) and entertaining us with your running tales and poems. I for one am really looking forward to them!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to JaySeeSkinny]

Thanks.. so glad to be off the IC.. I hope to stay off it now for a while x

[Sandraj39 Graduate]

One of your best Oldfloss...and I am a huge fan of the original! So glad you are back out there.😀x

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to Sandraj39]

I am too!!

I loved it, as a little girl.. it sounded so wild and exciting... I used to imagine myself sailing across a storm tossed sea in a small sailing boat with a little light shining at the front... I don't think I understood it really..until I was much, much older

[Sandraj39 Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Me neither, but it moves me on both levels - final journey and all. I shared those storm tossed dreams too and still recite it (a little inaccurately) whenever I am near the sea!🙂

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to Sandraj39]

Wow.. wonderful to know how we have empathy with each other on the forum...

It pops into my head when I am at the sea side... and now we have got our little holiday home by the sea now.. even more so ..especially on misty mornings...My Nan used to recite it to me when I was small... along with, Break, break, break,

on thy cold gray stones, oh sea....

No wonder I have a vivid imagination ...

[Sandraj39 Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Had to check that one but oh, good ol' Tennyson! Now he knew how to tell a story...I thought The Lady of Shalott was THE most romantic poem ever.."Out flew the web and floated wide, the mirror cracked from side to side; 'The curse is come upon me' cried the Lady of Shalott." Wonderful stuff!☺

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to Sandraj39]

Oh totally.... ! Need to fish that out again now

[Irishprincess Graduate in reply to Sandraj39]

I love this poem too Sandra. Also Poe's "Annabel Lee" especially this bit,

"And neither the Angels in heaven above

Nor the demons down under the sea

Can ever dissever my soul from the soul

Of the beautiful Annabel Lee".

Love it.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to Irishprincess]

Breathtakingly, heart-breakingly, wonderful... I love the long ballads, the story poems of childhood... sigh x

I have fished out a load of my poetry books and when I have finished jobs today, as it is cold and really raining so hard, I am going to curl up and have a good old read

[Irishprincess Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Did you have a nice day reading floss? It was dire here too so we went to the cinema to see "Viceroy's House". We've never been to the cinema in the afternoon before but we really enjoyed it 😊

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to Irishprincess]

Oh wow.. that looks so good...glad you enjoyed it... Ah, my reading day?

Hmmm... well Little Mum and Babe took over really.. so out buying high chairs and entertaining small one has been the order of the day.. I am about to curl up now for a read of a few golden Oldies...

[Joy57 Graduate]

What happened to you Oldfloss

[Joy57 Graduate]

Oops that sent before I meant it to. I think I must have missed something in the couple of weeks I was off the forum

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to Joy57]

Tee hee.. I am always doing that, sending half or odd messages to folk... !

Errr, not sure what you missed.... well I fell in October and broke a couple of ribs, four days after my daughter, Little Mum had her baby daughter... so apart from Grammy duties which were most days really, and my elliptical cross-trainer to keep me from seizing up... no running.. and I then got caught by the pesky Bronchiaosaurus!!! who got so many of us late Jan'... again ..no running outside, just used the cross trainer when I felt human enough.. cleared that and then blimey that pesky lurgy got me again!!!

So, because my running means so much more to me than just running.. I have got a tad low.. . good job I have the small runner in training to keep me grounded

And on the plus side, I have kept walking, usually with a pram, averaging 45 miles a week!!! Not like me to get low, but I was, so, so glad to go out yesterday and still be able to move faster than a walk

Bet you are sorry you asked now !!! x

[Joy57 Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

No no not at all! I knew about your ribs but not your extended lurgy. Glad you are feeling better and that it was nothing worse.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to Joy57]

x

[runningDixx Graduate]

I really smiled as I read that this morning Oldfloss prior to my w4r2, Thank you!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to runningDixx]

Welcome...! Hope you had a great run.. absolutely tipping down here now!

[skysue16 Graduate]

Oh, I love your poem OldFloss, very clever adaptation. Love the original, one of my favourites. Love the rhythm and 'feel' of it just like the ebb and flow of rolling waves. Glad you are able to enjoy a run in the fields again.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to skysue16]

Me too, oh me too... I love it... and I was so so glad to get out yesterday!!! x

[Nobbywatts Graduate]

And this from Spike Milligan:

I must go down to the sea today, the beautiful sea and sky,

I left my vest and socks there, I wonder if they're dry?

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to Nobbywatts]

I know that one... love it I have his book Little Pot Boiler x

No soul... some folk xxxx