Sunday 23 October 2011

Ben Nevis*

at the foot of the Ben
in town
people scurry
between destinations
there is no mountain
to be seen
instead
cloud, fog, rain
blowing around

this is not picture postcard highlands
but one real day
with atrocious weather
rivers are flowing
straight down the roads
raindrops like tears
umbrellas are useless
blown inside out

tourists don't like it
this is not what they paid for
coffee and cake
fill up the time
waiting and wondering
what's really there
they have seen pictures
the Ben in it's glory

highlands are beautiful
all of the year
sunshine with breezes
glorious days
autumnal colours
browns in excess
snow in the winter
gives alpine appeal

the unlucky few
came on the wrong day
weather abysmal
nothing to view

come again
see for yourselves
this mountain that draws you
really is there

    *Ben Nevis is Britain's highest mountain, we followed a coach from Spain, the idea begins!

14 comments:

Moving with Mitchell said...

Such beautiful imagery (and thanks for the asterisk and explanation of Ben Nevis). The poor tourists. This reminds me of a trip my family took in the 1960s to see "The Old Man in the Mountain,
a natural rock formation in New Hampsire that looks like the profile of an old man (well, looked... I think his nose has since fallen off). Unusual fog poured in and we couldn't even tell there was a mountain, let alone the profile of an old man. I would love to see Ben Nevis.

Cuby said...

Mitch Block: The Ben is a must see if you are in Scotland. Fog can spoil so many good views it is so hard to predict. :)

Leslie: said...

The first time I was around there we couldn't see it, but there's always next time. Love the poem! :D

Cuby said...

Leslie: Oh I am so sad that you couldn't see the Ben. I feel that unknowingly this poem is for you! So glad you liked it. Claire x

Linda said...

This is the story of our weekend - we're just back from Torridon, where we enjoyed deluges of rain followed by clear skies. And all the time the autumn colours of heather and bracken and birch trees were beautiful.
Thanks for your visit - will bookmark yours to savour poem by poem.

CherryPie said...

I find the mist and the weather obscuring the view still give me a wonderful insight to the place I am visiting.

JDS said...

Nice poem, and I like the image it puts in my head even though the image did not include the mountain. There is something to be said for experiencing nature on its terms, not yours.

Cuby said...

JDS: Glad you liked my words, thanks.

Cuby said...

CherryPie: Oh but it also can be so frustrating!

Cuby said...

Linda: Welcome.All the way from the outer Hebrides the weather was fine and clear until 15 miles from the Ben when it all changed for the worse, fortunately I go to The Highlands at least once a year often more and am pretty familiar with the Ben. Torridon how great.

Lady Mondegreen's Secret Garden said...

Both of us writing posts about unseen mountains :-)
This reminds me of promising our five year old that we would see a real live volcano on this particular holiday. As much as Mt Taranaki looks glorious in postcards, we clicked for its shrouded character, driving around it for half a day, but with the setting sun the cloud lifted and Kitty fairly climbed out of the car window with excitement.
Lovely nature poem with a wry twist by the way.

Cuby said...

Lady M: A hidden volcano finally appeared for Kitty I can see her in the excitement! Thanks for your words about this poem. :)

Doris said...

Fantastic. I went up Ben Nevis last year on my fifty fifth birthday and this poem describes the mountain and Fort William very well!

Cuby said...

Doris: I love Ben Nevis too.