Tuesday 1 October 2013

PORTUGAL

“I’ve got two places I like to be. Portugal is one.” - Cliff Richard
 

Magpie Tales has given us a Mark Haley photograph to inspire us and stimulate some writing for all those who take part in her challenge. Here is my offering, based on a detail of the image.
 

Portugal
 

Some day I’ll summon enough courage to flee.
Flee from your grey skies, grey days, grey people,
Hard, heartless land.
To Lisbon where sun shines in sky azure like satin,
Where flowers garland ancient walls,
To Portugal.
 

People still sing the fado
Dance in the streets,
In Portugal...
Guitars ring out, caressing nights of velvet
In Coimbra, Lisbon and Portó.
There’s love still to be found
In honey-coloured skin
And sparkling raven hair,
“Ay! Mi Amor!”
In Portugal!
 

Festering wound, my heart, in exile will not heal
Unless I feel Spring coming -
For Spring still comes
To Portugal!
 

Ah! But to roam the streets of Lisbon,
To drink red-wine sun,
To breathe sea-flower air,
To love warm-honey skin,
In Portugal...

8 comments:

  1. You certainly dispelled the grey days with this escape to the sun - thank you!

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  2. Thank you for this poetical trip to sunny Portugal, I needed it!

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  3. Wow, Portugal needs to hire you for their tourism board. Nicely done, indeed!

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  4. Oh wow you've now made me want to travel to Portugal... nicely written!

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  5. Very well-done. You turned the image on its head, so to speak.

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