The ram's skull ...

East of Birdoswald, we came across a ram's skull, set upon a fence post - 

I stared at the bleached savage bone, unable to bring myself to approach it closely -

I wondered who had placed the skull there, and why they'd done so - 

Despite the warmth of the afternoon, I found myself shivering - 

I remembered the pig's head on a fire sharpened stick in Lord of The Flies - I'd seen the black and white film of Golding's book when I was thirteen years old - 

In the beech wood, beyond the skull, I imagined thin savage boys, hiding amongst the silent trees - 

13.05

July 12 2014

East of Birdoswald, before Piper Sike Turret