Long listed for the Write about Walking Together competition 2024

He helped me on my way
as I was lost and it was dusk.
He looked an honest older man,
grey bearded, in a long grey coat –
the sleeves were of the Lombard sort,
old fashioned, and he wore a hat –
broad brimmed and black, tied down below 
his chestnut face which creased and cracked 
around his eyes. A wand of white
he carried. There is no more that I can tell 
except to say his speech was sung
and in another different tongue
and he was only three feet high.

The path appeared. I started off
then turned to thank him, but he’d gone – 
he’d vanished. There was nothing left 
except this wand I’m using now
to heal, give succour and to help
all those I meet who’ve lost their way.

Bessie Dunlop, of Lyne in Ayrshire
Burnt in 1576 for witchcraft and communing with fairies.

• Read other pieces in the Write about Walking Together competition long list
• Itching to write something yourself? Submit a piece to our Shorelines project, and invite your friends to read it aloud. Join one of our creative writing workshops or keep up to date with all our competitions by signing up to our ‘Walking Writers’ newsletter here or to our curated newsletter that covers all things about walking art here.