Helena Fornells

hares on the mountain

If all you young men were hares on the mountain, 
How many young girls would take guns and go hunting?
                           — Shirley Collins & Davy Graham sing ‘Hares on the Mountain’

a field of out-of-control dark green
as I listened to Glyn
sentenced by sounds into
a black tunnel in blue
yellow lights speak
for the girl in subtle expressions
up floating the grass is
a darker green 
I told you already
but I want you to listen
to it once more
because this is a thought
of a memory 
that polishes my visions
of hares run over
by men holding torches
the running is disorderly
or frenzied 
there is choice
the rate of heartbeats 
a mania of ravens
in darkling black
the girls fugitive
from the hands
of rabid creatures 
there are lights
there are pale yellow lights
here is where to look
the scene does not become clear
but I see it in a field
of feral green
as the story travels
into a black-blue tunnel
where the white glow directs me
you must listen to the girl
the image is of grass
and the green brings a memory
of hares dismembered
flayed by the men
who handle the script
the running is frenzied
disorderly
in the morning I look up
to my blessed ravens
in flight
in darkest black

Helena Fornells is a poet from Barcelona based in Edinburgh. She co-edits the poetry section of The Scores and works as a bookseller and translator.