Sunday 2 October 2011

I am away to the Isle of Lewis in the Hebrides off the far north west of Scotland for a week or two. My poems will be influenced by the wild surroundings of sea, loch, moor, mountain and weather of where I find myself.


ON TO RIOF

Away from “The Hebrides
leaving Tarbert behind
lights receding in the mirror
the dark embraces
then swallows up the land.
A yellow light glares
from the quarry on the hill
the road climbs
onwards grinding upwards.

The dark intensifies
to feel the brooding mass of Clisham
aware of mountains
weighs heavy through the black.
A lochan silver, a pool of mercury through the dark,
on and on
then Loch Seaforth
far below stretches to the Minch.

On and more
no light just deeper in the dark
so further then
Ballallan, Leurbost, 
to Callanish take the left
the way is narrow now
then wide
now single track
the road winds up and round.

Round and on
the bridge to Bernera to the right unseen
through Carishader
lighted pool at Miavaig pier
then black so dark
now Uigen
 finally the sign says RIOF
.
Up and round
a cattle grid
then by the shore
the ‘ocean cottage’.

Once in
we sit bathed in warmth
listen to the ripples on the shore
we know the sound
only in Scotland does the water behave
this way
sound this way
we exchange knowing smiles
this feels right. 

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