The Slow Lane

                                                                Garden Snails
 

 

Dear Reader 

It is thought that the first land snail evolved as soon as there were plants on land - about 350 million years ago - when plants required very wet conditions.   Survival  on land meant a period of unfavourable conditions with climatic variations affecting the snail whose body is still largely water.

Wild snails live from 3 - 7 years while those in captivity can live up to 25 years. Slow motion large land snails made for easy catching and good eating as early as 170,000 years ago.  Until now the oldest evidence of Homo sapiens eating land snails dated to roughly 49,000 years in Africa and 36,000 years in Europe.

Snails were originally considered a food for the poor but over time it became associated with luxury and sophistication.  The first recorded use of snails in cooking dates back to ancient Rome, but it was the French who really embraced the delicacy. In fact escargot has been a part of French cuisine since the Middle ages.

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The idea for the poem I wrote this week came to me when out for a walk with Francis in our locality.  We spied two large snails sitting on top of a telephone box built into the pavement.  For two or three minutes we enjoyed staring at them although they were perfectly still, doing nothing.  And then I thought of walks in the past years through the village and, although not exactly exciting, at least some of the things we looked at were moving!  How things have changed in old age. Still I liked the quiet peaceful snails, I felt cheerful watching them.  They had gone when we went back that way the day after.

                                                                               

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From Samuel Pepys April 22nd 1664 in Kent

'I was called up this morning before four o'clock.  It was full light to dress myself; and so by water against tide, it being a little cool, to Greenwich; and thence, only that it was somewhat foggy till the sun got to some height, walked with great pleasure to Woolwich, in my way staying several times to listen to the nightingales.'

From Francis Kilvert  April 25th 1876 in Herefordshire

........came slipping, sliding, scrambling down the precipitous path of deep red mud, greasy with rain....In a field adorned with a noble pear tree of majestic height and growth in full blossom I found cowslips and the first  bluebells and the young ferns uncurling their crozier heads.'

                                     

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The Slow Lane

 

On walks we watched

the trains

come and go

peered into neighbours

front gardens

looked through their windows

eyed people

walking their dogs

spoke to them

peeked into cafes

smelt sweet scents

strolled to the river

spied small silver fish

swimming in the stream

entered the village shop

chose some cards

a Victoria sponge cake

and some strawberries

 

but that was then

 

now living away from that

part of town

we stand silently

for a minute or two

watching two snails

sitting on a green telephone box

motionless

 

today's excitement

in a small moment

 

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With best wishes, Patricia