The Turning Of The Page

The monastery sat high on a hill closer to heaven, Four tired buildings facing each other forming a Square with a grass covered courtyard containing Pretty border flowers seeking God’s forgiveness. Poppies gazed from a farmer’s field mingling with Corn surrounded by broken hedges that once Formed a fairly straight line. What took us by surprise was the silence. The only Sound was birdsong rising above the breeze, And the absence of monks distorted the picture, Presumably they were at prayer or working in their Vegetable or herb garden. A bell sounded like an Orchestra in the silence of the day as the world Turned another page.