Water Lilies

I recently discovered Bennett’s Water Gardens in Weymouth. It's a place I'd been meaning to explore for ages.

Walking through the visitor centre and out along the path, nothing prepared me for the view that burst into life around the corner. A lake surrounded by trees rustling softly in the breeze, and the water covered with lilies, their pink and white flowers like small crowns across the water. Dragonflies darted through the sky, and across the lake a red wooden bridge made the whole scene resemble a Monet painting. It was so beautiful it brought tears to my eyes. I spent a couple of hours sitting in the sun around the lakes meditating, bathing in the Golden Ray energy of balance. A rare moment of peace when I just stopped and stared for a while..I hadn’t bought my camera with me so I just spent the time looking and absorbing it all which was a gift in itself.

Here’s the resulting poem and painting - Acrylic and ink on canvas, 50 x 50cms.

Water Garden

Here on the bench
eclipsed by lilies,
faerie and the cossetting green boughs,
bubbles ripple from below,
ducks dabbling, gliding.
This woodland paradise
filled with gossamer wings:
damselflies, butterflies and
the occasional dragon,
here the soft whisper of
the leaves and waiting water
let my breath soften,
and there my body sobbed and sighed.
Still pools festooned with chakra’d colours,
nymphs of pink and cream
adorned with centred crowns of gold.
Bobbing, mating damselflies
coupled in their life dance
sew their seeds of spring,
And softly, in nature’s warm embrace
my heart gently awoke
and I saw home.

UPDATE: The original of this painting has sold, prints are available at www.NickiGreenham.com/Shop

See Nicki's latest art, poetry and creative healing events in her monthly newsletter: www.NickiGreenham.com/newsletter