Caroline at Coastcard [Land & Lit]

Postcard 82: Changing Tack

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline Gill) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 18:32:00 +0000

Laugharne, home of Dylan Thomas

I have left South Wales and am now living in Suffolk, UK. Thank you for reading this blog, which I may update from time to time, but meanwhile you can follow my wildlife and literary endeavours at the links below ...

Wild and Wonderful (wildlife and photography)

Caroline@Coastcard (poetry plus)

Postcard 81: a gnarled oak ~ James Brush

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline Gill) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 22:05:00 +0000

My thanks to James Brush, who sent me this beautiful chapbook of 'Haiku-esque' micro-poems all the way from Texas, USA. The blue edge is just a Photoshopped background to ensure that 'a gnarled oak, 2010' shows up on my page.

James prepared this exquisite collection of micro-poetry himself under the aegis of his Coyote Mercury Press, and I feel very privileged to be the recipient of a hand-crafted limited edition.

The poems were apparently largely the fruit of James' perambulations, often with his dogs, in his local area. James re-casts his familiar landscape in a new guise, capturing those little moments that can so easily pass us by: 'it's about actively trying to re-see' the world around him, he explains.

The collection is divided into four seasonal sections, each prefaced with an accompanying photograph. Birds wing their way into a number of these pages. We encounter 'Hawk and Crow' in the Spring poems; 'Purple martins' streak through the Summer; the telltale sound of the 'Chicka-dee-dee-dee' permeates Fall (our UK autumn) - and fogbound mockingbirds and wrens make their entrance in Winter.

James' world seems a tranquil place on the surface, but there are little ripples and ruffles, ensuring that a sense of reality is never far beneath the surface. We note the gathering of clouds, a 'broken bird nest', 'a barbwire fence', the short span of the dragonfly ... but despite these little hints that there are cracks in the ice, the writer conveys a serene and compelling acceptance of the world in his view.

The poems are exquisite little jewels - or perhaps 'breaths', in the language of Haiku. Thank you, James, for sharing this universe in microcosm.

Postcard 80: Thoughts sparked by Gray and a Country Churchyard

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline Gill) — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 13:43:00 +0000

Cambridge, where 'Gray's Elegy' may have been composed

'The curfew tolls the knell ...'

Many of us can recite this much of Gray's 'Elegy written in a Country Churchyard'. How many of us, though, know anything much about the background to the poem? I was delighted to read the interesting feature by Carol Rumens in her 'Poem of the Week' column in 'The Guardian'.

In my mind's eye I do not see Cambridge, a place I know well, for it was my home town for five years. Instead, I picture a rural churchyard, full of greenery and perhaps dominated by a large Yew. This may be because the driveway up to my childhood home ran alongside a scene such as this, and childhood impressions are etched deep in our psyches. The view below captures something similar, although it is in a completely different part of the country.

A Country Churchyard

This is actually the churchyard (and a beautifully mown one!) at Vowchurch in Herefordshire. It has nothing to do with Gray, but it represents the kind of place I associate with the poem.

St Bartholomew's, Vowchurch, Herefordshire

Vowchurch has interesting literary connections of its own. We visited it once on our way to the Hay Festival (on a rather round-and-about route).

As you approach Vowchurch from the road . . .

Lewis Carroll, of 'Alice' fame, was really Charles Lutwidge Dodgson. His brother, Skevington Hume Dodgson, was the incumbent here from 1895-1910. Their father, Charles Dodgson Senior, was an Archdeacon. You can read about the family on this site.

This beautiful part of Herefordshire, Golden Valley, is also associated with another Lewis, namely C.S. Lewis, creator of the wonderful 'Narnia' stories.

Postcard 79: Puffins on the Yorkshire Coast

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline Gill) — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 10:37:00 +0000

Checking out the best nesting site ...

Those of you who visit my blogs will know that I can never resist the opportunity of posting a Puffin! I took this photograph (the one below is an enlarged detail of it) at Bempton Cliffs on the Yorkshire coast two Easters ago. It never ceases to amaze me that Puffins, who nest in sandy burrows on the island of Skomer off Pembrokeshire (almost my neck of the woods), choose these exposed ledges of limestone when they fly into these more northerly nesting sites.

Gannet and Puffin: share and share alike

My Puffin poem, 'A Chink in the Sky', based on my observations of the Bempton Puffins, has just appeared in the first Writelink competition anthology, 'A Pocket Full of Spring Fever', which is now on sale here.

Puffins on the RSPB site: amber conservation status
RSPB Bempton Cliffs

Postcard 7: Aberglasney, The Garden Lost in Time

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline Gill) — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 16:56:00 +0000

Strange Seasonal Mix

Autumn Colours

November at Aberglasney, the garden lost in time
and home of the poet, John Dyer,
Carmarthenshire, Wales, UK

'Hear the thrush, while all is still,
Within the groves of Grongar Hill'

John Dyer (d.1757)

Back in June 2009 (what a long time ago!), I decided to post occasional seasonal pictures of Aberglasney, the Garden lost in time, once home to the poet John Dyer. Dyer was the subject of one of Wordsworth's Sonnets. You can take a look at those first seasonal photos here. My photos for Spring 2010 are here.

I was in the gardens again last weekend, and thought it was about time I caught 'Autumn' on camera before the gales blew the leaves off the trees. We knew we might see some early Daffodils in bud, as they were there in November last year. Sure enough we were not disappointed. There were also some Primroses.

I see I try to take the following shots for my 'Seasonal Spotlight':

The House at Aberglasney (partly open to the public, often with exhibitions)
The view from Aberglasney to Grongar Hill (the view from my favourite seat)
The Upper Walled Garden (with Celtic design flowerbeds)
The stream in Pigeon House Wood
The Cloister Garden
The stream in Bishop Rudd's Walk

I'm afraid I failed to take a photograph of the stream in Pigeon House Wood this time. My back was turned as I was intrigued by the new bit of garden - and the fenced-off garden path!

By the time we reached The Cloister Garden, it was virtually closing time (4pm in the winter season), so we hurried on to the exit. I will post an old photo of the stalactites.

So these are my Autumn 2010 photos (with the exception of the stalactites):

The House at Aberglasney (partly open to the public, often with exhibitions)

The view from Aberglasney to Grongar Hill (the view from my favourite seat)

The Upper Walled Garden (with Celtic design flowerbeds)

The new garden: the stream in Pigeon House Wood is behind us, i.e. this side of the rope

The Cloister Garden: stalactites in the Cloister

The stream in Bishop Rudd's Walk

Invertebrate Life

Back in the summer, Aberglasney was a riot of Small Tortoiseshell butterflies. They were a joy to behold. You can see photos by clicking here to visit my Wild and Wonderful blog.

Pond Life

We have seen newts and an eel here (but not at this time of year): my photo of an eel at Aberglasney is here)

Bird Life: on previous occasions we have noticed these birds ...

Garden Plants

Old fashioned rose (the summer scent has gone, of course, but the top photo shows the hips)

Wild flowers - seen last summer

Ragged Robin

... and finally, happy memories of those lazy, hazy days ...

Afternoon Tea on the Terrace.

For Aberglasney's literary links (Wordsworth, Gillian Clarke...), you may like to click here. I hope you have enjoyed your virtual visit to this wonderful garden.

* * *

Postscript: for any who follow this blog and have been wondering where I have been, the answer is probably over at one of my other blogs. I may not post every day, but I enjoy 'mixing and matching' ...

Caroline at Coastcard (largely poetry and writing)
Wild and Wonderful (the natural world)

Do pop over to these and take a look ...

Postcard 77: Thank you for voting!

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline Gill) — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 20:59:00 +0000


Mother and Pup

I have just heard that my poem, 'The Wishing Woman of Seal Bay' (a Lilibonelle) has been awarded First Prize in the Writelink 'Grape and Grain' Poetry Competition.

The judge was Jenny Moore, (Winner of the Divine Poetry Competition 2006, runner-up in Mslexia Poetry Competition 2007, Winner of Best Devon Poem in 2009 Plough Prize).

Thank you to all who voted or left comments.

Postcard 76: Save my Seal (please)!

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline Gill) — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 20:49:00 +0000

Mother and Pup, photographed near St Davids a year ago

This is the last call for any kind person to cast a vote for my seal poem (a Lilibonelle) about the Pembrokeshire coast. My poem has been submitted to the Writelink Grape and Grain Poetry Contest.

You can cast a vote here (and you will find other contending poems by following the link below my poem - 'show all poems'. You may prefer to vote for these instead - or as well).

The polls close on 30 September, so the clock is ticking!

Postcard 76: Not quite Moby Dick...

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline Gill) — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 13:21:00 +0000

Heading back to Greenwich on The Thames Clipper
from the O2
(May 2010)

It was only yesterday that I was blogging about my early visits as a baby and toddler to the squirrels in Greenwich Park. I have been back to Greenwich many times, and feel a strong connection with the area. I love to take the Thames Clipper from the London Eye, and approach Greenwich by water. You get a good view of the Naval College, the Maritime Museum and the Park, with its Meridian. Sadly the Cutty Sark is not on show at present, but restoration work is underway. However, the current headline story relating to Greenwich concerns not a small grey mammal but a Leviathan-sized skeleton.

Drawing out of Greenwich
on the Thames Clipper

The Moby Dick-like tale relates to Bay Wharf in Greenwich and the recent finding by archaeologists, working for Pre-Construct Archaeology Limited, of a colossal North Atlantic Right Whale from north Atlantic waters, probably in the areas between Spitzbergen and Greenland. I am grateful to the History Blog for alerting me to the sad, sad story of this 200 year old headless corpse of a creature that died at some point between the age of 50 and 100. The remaining skeleton weighs in at 60 tons and is a mere 52 (Imperial) feet long. It seems to have fallen foul of whalers and their harpoons. Whales were prized in the 17th and 18th centuries for their oil, and the word 'right' in the name indicates that whales of this species provided quality oil for lamps, soap-making and industry. Whale bone was used for corsets.

Can a sad story like this have any kind of happy ending? Please note, I have NO wish to endorse the killing of whales. Those who follow my blogs will know the immense pleasure I get from watching creatures like Basking Sharks in their natural habitats. However, this sad mammal is already well and truly dead. DNA tests on its skeleton will help scientists in their quest for knowledge about the genetic diversity of this particular Right Whale. It will also help to fuel our understanding of the negative impact of whaling in terms of the future survival or otherwise of a particular species. Perhaps the discovery of 'Moby' will challenge us all to reconsider the part we can play in protecting creatures at risk.

The London Eye,
where we caught the Thames Clipper

'Like the creature in Herman Melville's novel,
it was a giant whale of great age.'

David Keys,
The Independent

'Moby' in Time Magazine
and in The Independent

Postcard 75: Tantallon and Bass Rock

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline Gill) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 15:04:00 +0000

I had a 'double surprise' package last Friday. It contained the latest editions from Indigo Dreams Publishing of their magazines, Reach Poetry (issue 144) and The Dawntreader (issue 012).

Each publication contains one of my poems. 'Isabella Tiger Moth greets the Woolly Bear Caterpillar' appears in 'Reach Poetry' (editors Ronnie Goodyer and Dawn Bauling), and 'Tantallon' features in 'The Dawntreader' (editors Dawn Bauling and Ronnie Goodyer).

I have been keen to spot furry caterpillars this last year. I don't think I have actually seen a Woolly Bear. I wonder if others of you always used to look out for what we called Furry Mollies? It seems these creatures are affectionately known as Hairy Mollies. You can see my furry caterpillar page here on my nature blog, Wild and Wonderful.

Tantallon,
looking out to Bass Rock

My Tantallon poem is about the view of the Gannets (short video-clip here) on Bass Rock from Tantallon Castle in Scotland. You can read about my visit to the castle in a previous post, here.

You can read about the history of the castle here. The staff of Historic Scotland do a great job in caring for the ruined castle site. It is sadly ironic in these days of decay to find the following quotation on the Undiscovered Scotland site. The words were written to Henry VIII by an English Ambassador in November 1543:

"Temptallon is of such strength as I nede not feare the malice of myne enymeys..."

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to this exposed spot. I wonder if you have been following Neil Oliver's (recent) second BBC series on 'A History of Scotland'.

Don't forget to let me know what you call the caterpillars! And do take a look t Crafty Green Poet's North Berwick post ... serendipity?

Postcard 74: I.M. - Edwin Morgan

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline Gill) — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 13:05:00 +0000

Castle Urquhart on Loch Ness

What lies beneath these ripples on the loch?

I am grateful to Professor David Morley and to the Weaver of Grass for alerting me to the fact that the fine Scottish poet, Edwin Morgan, died on 19 August 2010.

You can read about the poet's life here. He was a remarkable man, with a gift not only for writing but also for teaching and translating. You can read an alliterative tribute from Carol Ann Duffy here.

We all have our favourite poems, some of which seem to fit certain seasons and situations. As I thought about Edwin Morgan, my mind flitted back to happy Scottish holidays - and to Loch Ness, in particular, which I had enjoyed seeing on the television programme, 'Coast', earlier this week.

It is not surprising therefore that I have chosen to link through to Morgan's evocative piece, 'The Loch Ness Monster's Song', which you can hear in the poet's own voice on The Poetry Archive site here. It may not be the poet's 'best' poem (whatever that may mean), but it certainly highlights his dexterity with language and, in my opinion, something of our poetic and indeed human fascination with things that are perhaps 'beyond our ken'.

P.S. I had just completed this post when I noticed that a tribute from Crafty Green Poet aka Juliet Wilson had popped up in my feed. Do take a look here.

A previous Loch Ness post
A wonderful tribute in The Guardian by Carol Rumens, and another by Alan Spence. See also here.

Postcard 73: All at Sea ...

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline Gill) — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 15:57:00 +0000

Puffins again!

A year ago I much enjoyed reading Sea Room, a book about the Shiant Islands by Adam Nicolson, who inherited the small archipelago from his father. Those who follow my blog posts will not be surprised to learn that the Puffins were among the star members of the cast for me - all 240 000 of them. It came as something of a shock, though, to read that some of these Amber Conservation Status birds ended up - and not so long ago - as food for humans.

Last month, we spent a happy afternoon at the Museum of Island Life at Kilmuir on Skye [above]. This fabulous museum is situated between Flora MacDonald's grave and the cool waters of the Minch.*

The visibility was quite good on the day of our visit: we watched a Golden Eagle hovering above us in the distance, and noticed some very strange landforms out at sea.

We looked at our map and discovered that these islands, a mere 12 miles from our shore, were indeed the Shiant Islands.

Above: the stone in the foreground is on Skye.
The Shiants are in the middle distance.
Harris lies beyond.

Above: close-up of the Shiant Island rock structure,
with steep column-like cliffs.

The islands consist of columns of Dolerite, and geologically are more akin to Staffa [of Fingal's Cave] than to the plethora of rock types found on Skye. They are home to huge colonies of Black Rats.

It may only be early August, but already the trees are turning here in South Wales, and there are signs of autumn. I have just read the update on the Skomer Island blog, informing us that following the fledging of this year's Pufflings, members of the Puffin colony have already left their island off the coast of Pembrokeshire for their winter voyage. You can read about them here. I find it incredible to think of these birds travelling so far north ... and then south again!

* On a previous visit we witnessed a scene of the purest light we have ever seen. It may not have been the aurora borealis, but it was the next best thing.

Great photos of the Shiant Islands scenery
Bird art from Romania - a lovely blog [and the illustration made me smile!]
Rats at natural World Heritage sites

Postcard 72: The Seventh Quarry (& The Women of Linear B)

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline Gill) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:30:00 +0000

The Archive Room [where Linear B tablets were found], Palace of Nestor, son of Neleus at sandy Pylos
[Top two photographs copyright David Gill]

Looking out over sandy Pylos

July 2010: my poem, 'The Women of Linear B' [ref. 15/2005] has just been published in 'The Seventh Quarry' [p.11, issue 12, Summer 2010, editor Peter Thabit Jones].

I have loved the adventurous tales of the Homeric hero Odysseus since childhood, so it is hardly surprising that I went on to take my degree in Classical Studies [at Newcastle upon Tyne]. It is perhaps not surprising either that I went on to marry a Mediterranean Archaeologist!

I have always been fascinated by the Homeric epithets [and here]: rosy-fingered Dawn and wine-dark Sea come immediately to mind. You may also be familiar with grey-eyed Athena or crafty Odysseus.

Many have heard of Penelope, wife of Odysseus, and her battle with the suitors while her husband was away at the war. The Olympian goddesses play their part in the Homeric epic, along with females of supernatural powers like Circe - and the alluring Sirens, whose songs drove sailors onto the rocks.

Such is the stuff of mythology and epic, but I wanted to look behind what we know as timeless literature (though it actually began as oral poetry, delivered in ring cycles by bards), to see what tasks were being undertaken by the real women - many of them slaves - who lived through most uncertain times.

Linear B tablets, deciphered by Michael Ventris and John Chadwick, provide some clues for the role of those women who beavered away behind the scenes in the area of sandy Pylos, in the western Peloponnese. This was the starting point for my poem.

A Linear B tablet, listing religious offerings of olive oil.
This one is in the British Museum.
This one was not from the mainland:
it was found at Knossos on Crete by Sir Arthur Evans,
and is Minoan [LMII].

N.B. If you would like to take out a subscription
to The Seventh Quarry poetry magazine, details can be found here.

Websites of interest:

In Search of the Trojan War by Michael Wood (you may have watched the television series)
David Gill's Pylos pictures
The Linear B Tablets
Pylos - site information
Finds from Pylos in the Chora Museum
Troy - the movie
Linear B on heritage-key.com and here
Resource on ancients scripts

Postcard 71: Myddfai

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline Gill) — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 20:25:00 +0000

We passed waterfalls and rills up the Swansea Valley

This is Usk Reservoir...

... with ponies.

The approach to Myddfai,
with the Church of St Michael's

Pulmonaria in Myddfai,
otherwise known as Lungwort

The village of Myddfai lies somewhat tucked away in the Brecon Beacons. The story goes that a farmer's son saw a young lady rise from the lake known as Llyn y fan fach. She had golden hair, which she proceeded to comb. The couple fell in love and had three sons. The lady returned to the lake, but not before she handed over the knowledge of her medicinal cures to her first born son, who became the first Physician of Myddfai.

The Guardian for 1 June 2010 reports that plans are afoot to start a new herbal remedy outlet in the village, with a cafe, and craft area in which a potter and quilter will work.

Myddfai was famous for its natural medicines and plant potions in Medieval times.

Walks in the area

Postcard 70: St Govan's Chapel

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline Gill) — Mon, 31 May 2010 21:06:00 +0000

Guillemot colony at Stack Rocks
near St Govan's
on the Castlemartin Range, Pembrokeshire

St Govan's Chapel
tucked in its rocky cleft
(click to enlarge)

Stack Rocks
near the Green Bridge,
Castlemartin Range
(click to enlarge and spot the Guillemot colony)

We spent the Bank Holiday in fine sunshine on the Pembrokeshire cliffs, here at St Govan's Chapel. It is a favourite haunt. Some people believe that it is the final resting place of Sir Gawain.

We failed to spot any seals today, but the flowers - including the Green Winged Orchids - were a delight. There were scores of bees and butterflies.

Some years back I took part in a Disability Arts Cymru project, which resulted in the publication of an anthology called Hidden Dragons | Gwir a Grymus (edited by Allan Sutherland and Elin ap Hywel, Parthian Books).

My poem, 'St Govan's Chapel' features in the book. It was later selected for inclusion in an Arts Council Wales report (Moving Beyond: an Arts & Disability Strategy for Wales p.7), which is online. You can follow my link through to read it here.

Postcard 69: 'Unthinkable Skies' by Juliet Wilson

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline Gill) — Fri, 21 May 2010 14:05:00 +0000

Do visit my Coastcard blog here
to read my interview with Juliet Wilson,
author of the sparkling new poetry collection,

'Unthinkable Skies'.

'Unthinkable Skies' (2010)
by Juliet Wilson (aka 'Crafty Green Poet')

The collection is available from
Calder Wood Press

28pp, £4.50 plus p&p - UK £1, Europe £1.50, Rest of the World £2

ISBN: 978-1-902629-28-5

Postcard 68: Hull, Larkin and a Plague of Toads!

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline Gill) — Thu, 20 May 2010 11:19:00 +0000

This should be a Toad,
but it's actually a Frog that hopped on to our back doorstep!

Gateway to Hull, The Humber Bridge

2010 marks the 25th anniversary of the death of Larkin. It was good to read in the latest edition of The Times Higher Education Supplement that back in 2001 Larkin's 'long-term partner Monica Jones' bequeathed a collection of Larkin memorabilia - including the poet's duffel coat and NHS glasses - to the University of Hull, where the poet served as librarian from 1955 until the time of his death in 1985.

Larkin wrote two poems about toads, and a 'ceramic frog-shaped money box' was included in the selection of personal items. Toads and frogs have fascinated human beings for centuries: I remember being captivated by the 'brekekekex' frog chorus (see also here) in the comedy by Aristophanes, when I was at school.

During the Larkin25 Festival, a commemorative statue will be unveiled at Paragon Station. The festival will run for 25 weeks, during which time the town will be invaded by a plague of fibreglass toads, presumably of similar construction to King Bladud's drove of psychedelic pigs in Bath (and here), which I much enjoyed seeing on my way to and from the hospital!

Toads and Toads Revisited by Philip Larkin
My Brekekekex blog

Postcard 67: Through the Wardrobe to Narnia!

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline Gill) — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 19:58:00 +0000

The reflection in this lamp post
(in the Cathedral Close at St Davids, adjacent to the Thirty-Nine Steps*)
reminds me of Lucy's meeting with Mr Tumnus in 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'.

Those who read this blog will know that my postcards are usually about places I have enjoyed visiting on my literary quests. This postcard is a bit different. I have just read two excellent posts by Rosie of Leaves 'n Bloom about her trip on the C.S. Lewis trail. I feel sure that you will enjoy these posts as much as I have. The embedded YouTube video gives an excellent overview in Part II.

The wardrobe that inspired Lewis is on display in the Wade Center in Wheaton College, USA. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is one of my all time favourite books. You will remember Mr Tumnus the faun, with his 'strange but pleasant little face' and his cloven hooves. Later on, of course, he is turned into a stone statue by the White Witch. But can Aslan the lion come to the rescue...?

* These steps are known locally, as the 'Thirty-Nine Articles', after the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion of 1571 given in English and Latin, the assent of which is still required of clergy in the Church of England. They form the "authorised standard of doctrine". The steps are not named after the John Buchan thriller!

Postcard 66: Loch Coruisk, Skye

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline Gill) — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 22:49:00 +0000

Travel ~ to make journeys of curiosity

One of several definitions for the word
'Travel'
in Johnson's Dictionary, 1755

These seals live on Loch Scavaig and guard the entrance to Loch Coruisk.
The loch has been described as a cauldron of water
in the heart of the Cuillin mountains.

This is the view of the Cuillin from Elgol.

And this is the approach to Loch Coruisk.

Here are the seals again.

Back at Elgol, where the journey ends...
...or begins

A strange thing happened to me today. I began to read 'A Mermaid's Tale' by Wendy Webb - and lo and behold, there was a poem, 'Loch Coruisk' about me. It was also about my husband, David. What a surprise.

Thank you, Wendy!
It is not often I am lost for words.

Wendy had reminded me earlier in the week that I had sent her a postcard from this wonderful spot last September.

Mark Meynell's excellent posts about Loch Coruisk on quaerentia (and here)
Donnie MacKay's magnificent Elgol Photohebrides blog
Map showing Elgol, the departure point (by boat) for Loch Coruisk
Loch Coruisk blog
Loch Coruisk, a source of inspiration for travellers like Johnson, Boswell and Scott
Turner's evocative watercolour of the loch (National Galleries of Scotland)
Loch Coruisk and Loch Scavaig - an aquatint Willima Daniell (1769-1837). You will need to scroll down a bit...
Elgol Art Floats

Postcard 65: Ellicott City, Feathered Friends and the Aroma of Coffee

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline Gill) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 20:02:00 +0000

Those of you who have read my Coastcard blog recently will know that I have entered a poem in the Writelink Spring Fever Competition. All contest poems are posted up on the Writelink site. Contestants have been asked to invite their blog-readers to take a look and to cast a vote for a favourite piece and/or leave a comment. You can find the link to my entry here (with a link to all the other poems), and more details of the contest here. I know we would all value your feedback. Voting closes on 21 March, so the clock is ticking!

Fellow poet, Kay Weeks, from Historic Ellicott City, Maryland, USA invited me to be the guest poet on her blog yesterday. Do join her on A Walk into the Past, where you will begin to learn why Kay and I share a soft spot for members of the auk family.

We have something else in common, too - a passion for the aroma of fresh coffee! Kay says that coffee makes her feel like 'floating on clouds'. I defy you to read about the coffee in the deli in Yates Market without feeling that it must be time for what a certain favourite bear would refer to as 'a little something' (you have to scroll down a bit for this one).

I'm just flying off to fetch my favourite mug. It's time to sample the heightened joy in Kay's 'Coffee' sestina. Thank you, Kay!

P.S. On the subject of coffee, do take a look at Seth Apter's artistic work here, which I have just been enjoying.
P.P.S. Cathy has a delightful puffin picture on her excellent site ... here!

Postcard 64: Kilvey Hill and The Seventh Quarry, Swansea

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline Gill) — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 13:27:00 +0000

Kilvey Hill, Swansea
from the SA1 area...

... and from the town.

I was delighted to receive the latest edition, issue 11, of The Seventh Quarry poetry magazine, edited by Swansea poet and publisher, Peter Thabit Jones. This is a substantial magazine with a global outlook, comprising 80 pages of poetry and reviews from Wales, England, Northern Ireland, Italy, Greece, Romania, Lithiania, South Africa and America.

There are some excellent poems in this number, of which more in a moment; but I was particularly struck by the reviews of the editor's latest work, a verse drama entitled The Boy and the Lion's Head (Citadela, Satu Mare, Romania, 2009). The book has been published bilingually in English and Romanian: Dr Olimpia Iacob is repsonsible for the Romanina translation. Issue 11 of The Seventh Quarry contains an essay entitled 'A Story of The Need for Love' by Professor Alexandru Zotta about Peter's verse drama, and a substantial review by Livia Comşia.

The Boy and the Lion's Head costs £8.99 in the UK, and is by all accounts a most unusual read: Livia Comşia observes that 'no other similar dramas' have been written. The setting is Swansea's Kilvey Hill, a place that has clearly been supremely formative in the poet's artistic development. We are all familiar with Cézanne's relationship with Mont Sainte-Victoire (and here) in Provence. Many of us in this part of Wales are familiar with the poet John Dyer of Aberglasney and his poetic attachment to Grongar Hill, which lies just beyond the boundary of the hidden garden. Kilvey Hill has become a powerful Leitmotif in Peter's creative landscape. He explains his literary intentions in this way,

'I have tried to show the impact language/words make on a small boy's imagination:
in a narrative of impending grief'.

The stage is set; and if we would like to explore the unfolding drama, we would do well to read the lyrical story of The Boy and the Lion's Head for ourselves.

This short blog post can do little more than scratch the surface. It is good to find a tribute obituary by Peter to Aeronwy Thomas, his 2008 travelling companion for a six week tour of the USA. I particularly liked the moving words 'To Aeronwy Thomas' by Lidia Chiarelli. Other poems that caught my eye were 'Ice Maiden' by fellow poet and blogger, Susan Richardson (do take a look at her new blog, Polar Poets, which she shares with Siobhan Logan), Stanley H. Barkan's poem for the late Menke Katz, 'Blackberrying in Spring Glen' and Don Atherton's 'Macchu Pichu', saddled between two camel-like humps (in contrast to the wool-and-camel-hair gown in Susan's poem).

For those who like their poems to have wings, my eye was drawn to the mention of owls in contributions from two American poets, namely in 'Revelation' by Robin Metz and in 'Lies for Icarus's Mother' by Laurie Byro. Hunting birds and famished eagles inhabit the world of 'The Poet' by Carolyn Mary Kleefeld, and my poem, 'Migration Mirage', pays homage to our forked-tailed summer visitors. Professor Sultan Catto's vibrant poem, 'Escape into Time', makes us realise in this cold snap that summer is not too far away, as we catch sight of a butterfly in a faraway city of dreams.

Details of The Seventh Quarry can be found here (on the right).

Postscript:

The Seventh Quarry
is hosting a ...

WELCOME TO WALES Evening

DYLAN THOMAS IN WALES: VISITING AMERICAN STUDENTS PROJECT
SPRING 2010

To celebrate the arrival in Wales of the first group of American students participating in the Project

An evening of poetry, drama and song

Introduced by the Wales’ co-Director
Peter Thabit Jones

at the Dylan Thomas Centre, Swansea

7 p.m., 14th March, 2010
FREE ENTRY

Dylan Thomas in Wales is a 12-week literary seminar offered by Knox College (Illinois, America), in cooperation with the Carl Sandburg Birthplace (America), The Seventh Quarry Swansea Poetry Magazine (Wales), Cross-Cultural Communications (New York), and in association with the Welsh Assembly Government in New York.

At Knox College, students will study the life and literary works of Dylan Thomas; in Wales, they will study the impact of Wales’s natural history and cultural dynamics on Thomas’s work.

Postcard 63: Festival of the Trees - The Rufus Stone

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline Gill) — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 17:50:00 +0000

Welcome to the UK and to my Festival of the Trees post!

Summer evening in the New Forest:
mare and foal

The three-sided Rufus Stone

"Here stood the oak tree,

on which an arrow shot by Sir Walter Tyrrell at a stag,
glanced and struck King William the Second,
surnamed Rufus on the breast,
of which he instantly died,
on the second day of August, ANNO 1100."

The Rufus Stone, stands in a shady glade in the New Forest in Hampshire, UK, set back from the A31 road, near the village of Minstead.

The stone memorial has three faces (and is a bit like a trig point). It was erected in honour of King William II, aka as William 'Rufus', son of William the Conqueror by John, Lord Delaware (who had seen the oak tree) in 1745. The Conqueror's son died in the immediate vicinity on 2 August 1100 as a result of an arrow fired by Sir Walter Tyrrell. The killing was said to be an accident rather than a murder. On hearing the news, Henry, the youngest brother of the departed monarch, was hurriedly proclaimed king by the barons, in a bid to beat his eldest brother, Robert of Normandy, to the throne of England.

The bones of William 'Rufus' lie in a mortuary chest (press link, then scroll down) in Winchester Cathedral, along with those of other members of the Royal Family, such as King Cnut and his wife, Emma. You may be wondering how the body turned up in Winchester for burial. A man known as 'one Purkis' laid the royal corpse in a cart and took it to the cathedral city. The original Rufus Stone became defaced and hard to read: a replacement memorial was erected in 1841.

The face of the New Forest

The New Forest today is a wildlife paradise. The following species of vertebrates and invertebrates can be found: ponies, deer, cattle, badgers, foxes, donkeys, bats, mice, water voles, adders, grass snakes, owls, warblers, curlews, spiders and butterflies. The ponies, donkeys and cattle belong to commoners, who receive grazing rights for a small fee. I imagine that there is a similar arrangement for pigs and sheep.

Above: a Lapwing
Below: a forest pig enjoys a wallow

There are also many species of tree, e.g. oak, beech, holly, sycamore, alder, ash, silver birch, sweet chestnut, horse chestnut, crab apple, blackthorn, hawthorn, viburnham, whitebeam, pine, redwood and yew. Some of the trees are very special: you can read here about the Knightwood Oak, the Adam and Eve Oaks and the Eagle Oak. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the White-Tailed ('Sea') Eagles returned, albeit with a bit of help? We so enjoyed watching these magnificent birds on the Scottish islands of Skye and Raasay last summer. There was great excitement in 2009 when a new kind of fungus, a yellow form of Phellodon melaeucus, was discovered in the New Forest. The fact that this area has been managed in traditional 'commoning' ways, without the intensive use of artificial fertilizers and chemicals may contribute to the amazing biodiversity and number of rare species.

What exactly is the New Forest?
What of its history? and here.
Find out about the ornamental and historic trees in the forest.
The Forestry Commission - and the Rufus Stone
About 'The Children of the New Forest' by Captain Marryat
BBC Autumnwatch: the New Forest featured in a number of stories e.g. like these from 2008.

Postcard 62: Philippa Scott of the Wetlands - a tribute

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline Gill) — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 18:45:00 +0000

Swans in flight over WWT Llanelli, Penclacwydd
Photo: David Gill
(click on picture to see detail)

I hope you will join me on a winter ramble
through the WWT (Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust) site
at Penclacwydd near Llanelli.
Not surprisingly, there are many signs of winter,
but there is also an indication
that spring is not too far away.

But before we set off,
I want to draw your attention
to The Guardian obituary of Lady Philippa Scott,
widow of Sir Peter Scott, who set up the WWT
and did so much else besides in the field of conservation.

Lady Philippa Scott died on 6 January 2010, aged 91.

Lady Scott, also known as Phil, was a keen photographer, scuba diver and writer.
Her publications include two autobiographical accounts,
Lucky Me (1990) and So Many Sunlit Hours (2002) -
and a book on one of her multi-talented late husband's passions,
The Art of Peter Scott (1989).

The Scott family legacy will live on in the minds and hearts of many of us.

The sun is low at this time of year, so we had better hurry.
There was a Bittern in this vicinity a few days ago,
but sadly there is no characteristic boom from the marsh today.
The snow has all melted;
and to my surprise, there is a great bloom of algae
on the waterways around the scrapes
by Vole City.

Look!
A flash of brilliant red overhead.
A Bullfinch - no, a pair of these beautiful birds.
Watch as they dart in unison
along the winter hedgerow.

Listen!
There is no mistaking that steady flap-flap of large wings
as a Grey Heron soars majestically overhead.
The lichen sparkles in the fading sunlight,
and the reeds and rushes make a wonderful backdrop
to this water-world.
Can you smell the salt from the Loughor estuary?

The Mute Swan over there seems quite obsessed with her fine reflection.
That Cormorant, on the other hand, seem content to stand in a stark pose,
like those sad statues in Narnia.

I find it quite hard to believe
that this land of small creatures
was once the home of huge mammoth and bison.

Did you know that a Pleistocene hippo tusk
was found beneath nearby Loughor Bridge?

Wouldn't we have a shock if we encountered an Ice Age survivor
emerging from the shadows,
around the next corner?

It's almost 5pm.
We had better begin to make tracks,
and leave the Robin to his worm .

But what about those signs of spring?

Well, if you look up now,
you will see the silver sparkle of the sun's ebbing ray
on those bursting Pussy Willow buds.

It's time for tea!

Thank you for joining me.

BBC report
WWT Llanelli
N.B. I have tried to follow Seabrooke Leckie's helpful practice of using the US and North American notation, giving upper case letters to the names of species. This way it should be easier e.g. to tell a green frog from a Green Frog!

Postcard 61: Chris Kinsey, BBC Wildlife Poet & Greyhound Laureate

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline Gill) — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 22:06:00 +0000

Above: Chris Kinsey reads from her book,
Kung Fu Lullabies
published by Ragged Raven Press

(photography: courtesy of Chris Kinsey)

Below: Greyhounds in the snow

I was delighted to receive a package from Romania this week. This time it was the special issue [Anul II - Nr.9 (14)/Nov.-Dec. 2009] of 'Contemporary Literary Horizon' magazine/'Contemporan Orizont Literar'. The publishing concern responsible for the venture is a media partner of MTTLC at the University of Bucharest. I am very grateful to Daniel Dragomirescu, editor-in-chief, and his team of translators: they do a terrific job in producing a publication that is always thought-provoking and highly 'international' in outlook.

The current issue contains features and poems from writers in Romania - of course - like Mihai Cantuniari (Director of CLH); from India (Vinisha Nambiar and Venkata Ramanan); from the USA (Michelle Brooks, Bert Rashbaum and Mike Essig); from Slovakia (Allan Stevo); from Nigeria (Abiola Olatunde); from Mexico (Marina Centeno) and from Australia (Mark William Jackson) ... to name but a selection.

Wales is not forgotten: this issue contains my interview, 'The Otherness of Creatures' with Greyhound Laureate and 2008 BBC Wildlife Poet of the Year, Chris Kinsey. My thanks go to Chris for her informative answers - and to Daniel for publishing them! If you are thinking of taking out a subscription to this innovative magazine from Romania, you will find a poem by Chris in English ('One February Night'), with a Romanian translation undertaken by Roxana Mindrican-DRĂGUŞIN. Thank you, Roxana.

There are a number of arresting pieces in this issue: I found myself pausing over a poem called 'At the Laundromat' by Mike Essig, mulling over the shades of whiteness, the stories, the silence... Daniel Dragomirescu has written a substantial review article, translated by Alina-Olimpia Miron, entitled 'Poetry and Logos', in which he touches on the part played by suffering in the creative process, with reference to Dr Theodor Damian (Philosophy & Ethics, Metropolitan College of NY and President of the Romanian Institute of Theology and Orthodox Spirituality, NY).

Why not visit the C&LH site: you will find out a bit more about the current state of international culture - from a Romanian perspective!

Postcard 60: Anne Frank's Amsterdam

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline Gill) — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 09:24:00 +0000

Amsterdam
The Netherlands
1999

Have you begun a 2010 diary?

I struggle to write a regular diary; but I enjoy the discipline of trying to keep one going on a somewhat erratic basis. I wonder what works for you in terms of the actual book or folder that you use - or do you prefer to keep your diary in electronic form, and if so, is this primarily so that you can reach the world or save the trees? I like to use a Folio Society diary (usually for the wrong year!), which has been passed on to me. I love the feel of the paper and the illustrations. The hard cover makes writing easier, particularly if one is on the hoof; and the built in ribbon marker helps to keep my place, since my entry for 12 January 2010 might fall in the slot for 24 June 2003!

One of my most memorable trips abroad was to Amsterdam, with a visit to the Anne Frank House. The canal boat ride was delightful and the sun was shining; yet despite the passing of all these years, a certain sangfroid gripped us as we landed near the Westerkerk with its haunting bells. I took faltering steps towards Prinsengracht 263-265a, that house with a million secrets.

Do you know the evocative poem, Anne Frank Huis by Andrew Motion? You can read it here on the Poetry Archive. The two words that stand out for me are 'whispering' and 'loneliness'.

You may have heard that Miep Gies, the 'guardian angel' of the Frank family, has just died, aged 100. You can read an account of her extraordinarily sacrificial life in The New York Times.

Links

Holocaust Memorial Day Trust - don't forget to light the candle on this site.
27 January 1945: the Liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, designated as the International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Holocaust facts, including the origin of the name.

P.S. As I was posting a link to Miep's obituary from my Facebook page, the Word Verification letters that I had to type included the word 'paragon'. Serendipity - for if ever there was a paragon of virtue...

Postcard 59: The Holy Land

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline Gill) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 23:10:00 +0000

My thanks to David Gill for the use of his photographs.
Click on the image to enlarge.

Above: desert travellers...
Below: The Church of the Nativity, Manger Square, Bethlehem

'This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.'
Luke 2:12

'We saw his star in the east...'
Matthew 2:2

Nadolig Llawen!