73. Spellbound Grandchildren

Granny lost them

Wending paths led gently down,
Adorned with scented flowers.
Up and down, and round and round,
Could take you hours and hours.

I turned to look, but they had gone.
Nowhere could they be found.
It was not big enough, I thought,
To get lost in that ground.

I looked in all the bell flowers,
And underneath the leaves,
And searched amongst the grasses
Swaying in the breeze.

They must have shrunk.
They’d vanished
No sight, no sound, no smell.
I asked each passing butterfly
That flew around the dell.

But all they said was, that they knew
There was a tiny flower,
That if you brushed against it,
It had a certain power.

A ladybird said she agreed,
But did not like to tell
About the power to shrink you,
That flower contained a spell.

Up and down and round and round,
Searching amongst the flowers.
Hunting for minute children.
It took me hours and hours.

Then suddenly they all appeared.
“Where have you been grandma?
We couldn’t find you anywhere.
We haven’t been that far.”

Story writer/provider
Elizabeth Freeman

Flag Designer
Elizabeth Freeman

Painter(s)
Elizabeth Freeman

Landscape Character Area
Rainham, Aveley and Wenington