After You’ve Gone

This picture began as just a lovely coastal scene, from a photo taken on a walk around Arne. Arne’s a RSPB reserve on the shores of Poole harbour. It’s a place I’ve been visiting since I was a child (as a proud member of the Young Ornithologists Club). However, the more I looked at and thought about the scene, the more I started thinking about loss. There’s the bench, of course, with two little memorial plaques, but there’s also that sense of sitting and contemplating, remembering. Around the bench itself all is chaotic and unsettled but as you look further away, into the distance and the future, there’s some peace.