Wednesday 25 October 2017

POETS UNITED - JOURNEY

“Gradually the magic of Corfu settled over us as gently and clingingly as pollen.” ― Gerald Durrell 

This week, Poets United has as its Midweek Motif theme “Journey”. We are all travellers, spatially, chronologically, experientially and spiritually, so it’s not hard to identify to this theme at all. Here is a memory from one of our trips to Greece, several years ago. 

Journey to Corfu 

A walk alone in the old fortress while the sun sets,
The air so sweet, the breeze so soft, the evening perfect.
Below the city stretches and I see it as if on a magic carpet ride;
The centuries around me crumble, time a fleeting sweet perfume.

The stones, if they could speak, what tales I would hear,
The earth if it could sing, what songs, what hymns, what psalmodies!
I look and sight contented rests for whole eternities on wine dark seas
And my mind travels on a ship hewn of history.

Restore the peeling paint, patch crumbling walls,
Upend the fallen stones and lo, the English to the Venetians cede their place,
And the Venetians to the Romans; behold, the Lion smiles on the arch above,
And somewhere always there, always alight, there is Greek fire.

8 comments:

  1. A gorgeous poem full of great lines like "The centuries around me crumble, time a fleeting sweet perfume" Absolutely loved reading it and makes you want to go to corfu
    An old friend lived there and married a greek They now have a restaurant in my hometown.

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  2. "Greek fire"......and the golden light in the photo is just that. I love the mood in this poem.....and love "the stones if they could speak....the earth if it could sing." So beautiful!

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  3. A very moving poem.So many Greeks have emigrated to find a better life for their families but that' Greek fire' will always remain with them wherever they go and is passed on to their children and grandchildren as well.I must go back to Greece before Charon ferries me across the river Styx. Your poem made me very sad....Must be a Greek thing:)

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  4. Bravo! "The centuries around me crumble, time a fleeting sweet perfume." You say this, and then your poem proceeds to do it. Your voice contains marvel, and a little sadness.

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  5. Like you, historic places give me a sense of wonder at the tales they could tell. "Time a fleeting sweet perfume"... great line!

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  6. Hope someday I visit the place. You've truly lit the fire. The photo beckons.

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  7. Ah, I am sure those stones would have amazing stories to tell! So much of what was once glorious is now turned to dust. Corfu must be beautiful today...still glorious despite the passing years.

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  8. Nicholas,
    A beautiful travelling experience to Corfu, which has truly enticed my desires to visit.
    I have just returned back to Poets United after an absence..another journey with a wonderful location. Eileen

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