Lost Seasides

You can always float your boat
On the river Hamble
If the tide has slipped away
There's no need to gamble
Wait a very little time
Another will be with you soon
On account of the Isle of Wight
And of course the moon

Poke around the rocky shores
Of the Cornish riveiera
Even if the tides are out
The wind will be the bearer
Of the sound of crashing waves
They'll not be gone forever
In the meantime rockpools teem
In almost every weather

However, when on Southport beach
I am tantalised
By the myth of an absent sea
Here immortalised
Sucked away to the Isle of Man
Hiding on the horizon
The pier a bridge to nowhere
The beach a road to drive on

I am sure the fault is mine
Though the tide flows in but rarely
Sand and sea are still a beach
To  contradict would be contrary
As life wears on and years pass by
I often find myself besides
The sea in places strange to me
Remembering the lost seasides

'Neath Yon Glen

Och ye wee stony cottage
Awa neath yon glen
Wi wind-polished sky
Tae brighten mi eye
Green grass, bare stone
Thee, me, alone
Bidin' frae she
Tae visit wi we
Will ye no tell me when
We'll be meetin' again
Och ye wee stony cottage
Awa neath yon glen

The Castle in the Air

The first scene in the Castle in the Clouds/Castle in the Air epic was published in April 2016.  Having recently completed the epic, it seems logical to publish the entirety as one work.  Readers who recall the first few scenes will find that some editing has occurred ...


Darkness

He slipped within
The blanket came up to his chin
Breaths came deeper
The bravest sleeper
With an upstart snore
Within his bed knocked on the door
Of Darkness

A little sister
How he missed her
Since she slept and went before
Since she passed beyond the door
Of Darkness

He stirred - and through the window overheard
Lightning flashing thunder crashing
Filled his head - shook his bed
And on the pane raindrops dinned
Thrown by the raging of the wind
He gasped - another rage of rain
Rushed then shook the window pane

Beyond the brook the blackest cloud
Beaten by the wind
Upon the hill remained
Upon the hill by wind was chained
And Darkness was within

He ran across the wooden bridge
Above the tumult of the brook
He climbed upon the hill beyond
Without a pause the light forsook
He assailed the blackness
Of the Castle in the Air
Up lashing raindrop ladders
Up black torrential stairs
Seeking ever seeking
To find Darkness in its lair

Admitted to the cloudy keep
Of the Castle in the Air
He set his foot to climb upon
The blackest spiral stair
Heedless of the moaning void, echoing, dripping
Heedless of the pang of fear, stifling, gripping
He climbed until he found himself
Where breath to breathe is rare
Upon the giddy battlement
Of the Castle in the Air

Far below like a memory
Writ in a story book
Slept a little cottage
With a bridge beside the brook
Peering from the battlement
An eye a face a tear
A sob in lonely solitude
A dark and nameless fear
A yearning to return
To the house beside the brook
A yearning to return
To the bed forsook   


Old Man Wind


Far off thunder grumbled
And a low voice rumbled
"What have we here -
What have we found?"
The startled boy span around

Before him wisps of cloud
Coalesced to form
The image of a wizened face
On whirling eddies borne
"I am the wind
And who are you?
How came you here
What would you do?
Though the bravest hearts are few
I spy within a heart that's true!"

'Seek I extinguisher of joy
Seek I Darkness' said the boy
Self-surprised by boldness
And the courage of the brave
In the very face of the Wind
Account of himself he gave
He told of his wind-borne progress
And the Wind was amazed

'I see courage deep within
And the will to show it
In the blackest moment
Do not doubt it - know it!
Reminder now I give to you
That your heart is ever true
If you doubt take it out
Remember that your heart is stout!'

Borne upward on a whisper
Fluttering, quivering
A silver feather all a-glister
In the starlight shimmering
Floating in the air
The boy espied it there
And, thinking of his sister
Deftly caught it
Swiftly brought it
Wearing concentration's frown
Quickly saved it
Safely stored it
Wrapped within his dressing gown

Wind took his leave, there fell a calm
Yet Wind was not completely gone
A whisper of his might remained
A whisper of his voice explained
'Be you bold my little one
For courage in the task to come
Keep close this silver feather
And never mind the weather'


Polaris

Wind no longer blew upon
The battlements and it was calm
In unfathomed depths of night
Shone brave beacons of star-light

The stars all turned their faces to the North
Looking to Polaris
The guide to those who venture forth
They shook a little starlight free
A film of luminosity
On the top of each cloud shone
As far as any boy could see

The boy stood still
And gasped to view
Cloud-tops silvered
Through and through

'How small you seem
And far away'
Polaris said
In a kindly way

'You think yourself bereft alone
Yet we stars have always known
That one courageous such as you
Would climb upon the cloudy throne

We watch throughout the silver night
And through the golden daytime too
Be assured my precious one
We will ever watch for you'

The boy looked up and floating down
Was a starry cloak of night
In folds of deepest velvet black
Were captured beams of fair starlight

'Wear it well' Polaris said
'Be not afraid to fight
Though in deepest darkness
The cloak - and hope - shall give you light ...'

A new light shone upon the scene
Polaris in mid-sentence froze
Then he bowed and took his leave
As the full moon rose


Celine

The Queen Celine was passing by
Full and bright she filled the sky
Her passing rendered all else dim
She passed distracted - seeking him

She sought her husband the ruddy sun
Yet sign of him was there none
She searched in vain then paused and saw
Our hero on the cloud before
And asked him, 'Boy what do you there?'
While all around her beams fell fair

He hardly started to begin
When she interrupted him
'I know the courage in your chest
I know your tale - I know your quest
I know it well - I share it too
I can advise you what to do
Like you I seek to vanquish night
Like you it is my constant fight
Darkness is my enemy
And I desire your victory

My light is yours - I give it to you
Yet I would give you more
That you may dazzle those who view you
And triumph in your war
Wait patiently my little one
And I shall see what's to be done

Celine withdraws - her light she dims
Among the stars she hides
As sunlight o'er horizon brims
And night and day divides

The ruddy sun arose at last
And all the timid stars withdrew
As rose and gold splashed the sky
And gentle breezes blew

He roused himself to take his place
In the morning sky
But then he seemed to pause and dim
For Celine, his wife, was nigh


Eclipse

A sudden shadow rushing
Across the sky - recent blushing
The patient moon has found her mate
And the world below must wait

As Celine enfolds her sun
As stars return one by one
The world must wait for those two
Sudden twilight falls anew

The ruddy sun is overcome
As totality draws near
Just one bright beam of light escapes
Lighting up the atmosphere

Born of moon and sun as one
It lights upon the 'raptured boy
And in his hand he finds a lamp
Shining glass and dark alloy

'From lenses gold and lenses blue
As you descend to join the fight
Moon and sunlight be with you
Starlight make your pathway bright

Do not fear my little one
Right is with you, and the sun
Will ever your supporter be
Rejoicing in your victory

The Sun and I now grant you leave
Old Man Wind - Polaris too
Muster all your courage lad
And do now what you came to do'


Vanquish

Clad in the cloak of Polaris
Shedding gentle light
Descending the darkened stairways
Challenging the night

Seeking the dreadful Darkness
In the deepest keep
Arriving in the dungeon
Where black shadows creep

There the dank air is fetid
And there hangs a foggy pall
Proof against the starlight
And nothing can be seen at all

A breeze is born and gathers force
The silver feather high in hand!
A maelstrom is breaking forth
At our hero's brave command

The fog holds on but then is gone
He puts the feather back in place
Then wraps his cloak around himself
Starlight on his face

The boy held up the moonlit lamp
It pierced the dungeon through and through
Shadows melted at its touch
A piercing beam of light so blue

The beam alighted on a cloud
Of inky blackness slow to clear
The boy discerned the one within
Was Darkness drawing near

Darkness held a candle
Its flame was shrinking, dim
And Darkness meant to snuff it out
There in front of him

The boy cried out and opened up
The gold lens on his lamp and shone
Into Darkness' very face
The power of the noonday sun

Darkness blanches with a shreik
His castle starts to melt away
The boy retrieves the candle stick
Its flame grows stronger, lights the way

Down the tall torrential stairs
He hurries back whence he had come
No more the prey of dark nightmares
Warmed by light of the ruddy sun


Awakening

He fled from Darkness, then instead
He dreamt himself back in his bed
He dreamt himself - candle carrying
By his sister's bed long tarrying

After the passing of the storm
He dreamt her room was bright and warm
He dreamt that she awoke and then
Sleapt a little once again

He woke with a start
And leapt from his bed
Loud beat his heart
Legs heavy as lead

He ran to her room
And found her there singing
With fever no more
But a lullaby ringing

And there by her bedside
The candle burnt bright
That withstood the Darkness
And vanquished the night

Refinement of the Species

The brain in my head and the gun in my hand
Confer upon me the right of command
The fit must survive and the fact that I do
Makes it my duty that I should kill you

My God is Humanity in the ascendant
As its epitome I have descendants
As its sworn enemy you shall have none
According to nat'ral selection by gun

Thus we evolve and develop the race
Thus we put everyone in their right place
Thus we ensure the greatness of man
Our authorization - because we can

Art Detector

Could I convey, would it ring in your soul, what I am in this instant of time, for one brief moment as parts of a greater whole, unite you and I, synchronized, harmonized, analogized within, art would that be.

Aesthetics are not the domain of synthetics - cold virtuosity in absence of virtue, in absence of soul mere base skill - this is not art and never be will.

The difference between, know you still?

Musicology

Divide a vibrating string in half
To create an octave interval
Divide the octave into 12
Semitones create - you will

Choose but seven from the twelve
And create a key
To hear them ring out as a scale
Play these notes sequentially

Choose the first, the third, the fifth
From the key that was created
The foundation of a chord
Is newly differentiated

Now pass on to greater things
Minor, Seventh, Sharpened Fifth
But don't forget that - at its core
Math is what music is

Why should math expressed as sound
Fascinate and astound?
I guess that - just like all the arts
It's greater than the sum of its parts

In a Temperate Clime

Take a look at the butter dish
And I'll tell you what the latitude is
Only in this tempered isle
With butter in dish all the while
There's no need of refrigeration
To forestall liquidification
There's nowhere else on the list
No other climate is just like this
There's simply no other place to go
To find the butter preserved in vitro