Poem of the Day: “Atop the Hill, Where We Laughed Together” by David Pring-Mill, Frequent Contributor and Poet of the Week

Songs of Eretz Poetry Review is pleased to present “Atop the Hill, Where We Laughed Together” by David Pring-Mill, a Songs of Eretz Frequent Contributor and this week’s Poet of the Week.  A biography of the poet may be found in the “About Our Editor & Frequent Contributors” section.

Atop the Hill, Where We Laughed Together

David Pring-Mill

We took a little ferryboat over,

Then I made big strides up a green hill

and she scrambled along, after me

in her little flat shoes, with that light

skirt, and at the top of the hill

with the view, she swung

one dainty hand around

the metal flagpole, waved at me

with the other,

still holding

a small tea,

and I took a picture,

and later, decided:

Love makes places feel alive.

This memory I hold.

She said:

"If you refuse to accept

that you are loved,

Then in a way

You are betraying

the love of those people

who really love you…

I don't know

how to put it into words,

But it is wrong,

To not accept it."

Poet's Notes:  This was something that happened exactly as depicted, and I wrote it on a summer night. Sometimes poetry emerges naturally from day-to-day living, without any crystallizing intent.