Whispers

ghostly whispers
at an ornamental fountain
now
just the leaves
ripple

Horton Park is in its green phase, with the trees in leaf and the grass lush.

The disused fountain hints at the park's more elaborate, ornamental past. To quote from park's entry in the Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England:

"A former circular pond lies to the north west of the upper promenade, 470m south west of the main entrance (OS 1893). A central fountain in stone and polished red granite has scalloped lower basin supported on four columns with classical capitals, from which rises a single column supporting a smaller circular basin and baluster.

The fountain no longer functions and the circular pond has been filled in, with the outline marked by a grassed area with rose beds. The 1926 description (Bentley) records that a central ornamental memorial fountain was added to this pond in 1886 as a combined gift from Alderman Morley and Councillors Firth, Fletcher, and Hammond of the Little Horton Ward."

Meanwhile the squirrels and pigeons were feasting on mounds of chapattis and a couple of Speckled Wood and a single Green-veined White emerged for the butterfly records.