Newport trilogy

 Dear Monty,

Holidays give time for reflection - here are three illustrated poems inspired by the town of Newport Pembrokeshire.


1.

Begotten

Today have I begotten you

The child feeding the pony an apple over the stile
The sun weakly shining over the sea
The smile

The food and wine shared in a stone cottage above that sea
And below the hill of angels.

He became a little lower than the angels
Today have I begotten you

The sun
The earth
The moon
The tide

When does it end -
This ever learning and never understanding ?
When do we rest from our labours or cease from our endless fight ?






2.

Bright water

Geese flocks noisily feeding
Haunting the estuary with their sound
Stones stand
Norman walls
Ancient church

These walls have stood for longer than the flesh and blood that built them
Perhaps this is why there is desperation and frustration for us mortals who rage
To see the pace at which we age

The power that once drove us to unite
Now slackens
Like the tide
I still fear this powerful pull
Toward dangerous joy

Ultimately the bright water remains
And the decades roll into one blinding moment.





3.

There is a small town
Where the mud laden river runs brown
And mauve streaks the sea
Fading into blue, silver, green

Foxes scent the garden above the bay
Curved, moon-like

Purple spiked reds
Cotton seed heads
Of willow herb float in the evening air

Curlews curl around the estuary
While hunting dogs are sleeping
Dreaming of squirrels
And walks
And living every day.





Paul.

Comments

  1. Lovely paintings and beautiful words I am forwarding the link to your post to a friend who lives near Newport and who will enjoy them too I know. Glad you enjoyed your holiday!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I just love Newport - we stay every year - sometimes twice a year. It has a pull on our lives. Thank you for your comment.

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  2. Fantastic. The poems AND the pictures - love the pictures, Paul! Xxxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Anne, these are watercolour on paper with common old bic biro. I like them too !

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