He spoke to me though from afar
his voice both near and quiet,
reminding me of the green slope
and north the sea, shining and alive
with ancient music,
a place near him
and many gone before
who traveled to America,
to cities where they’d never rest
returned now, like Tir Na Nog
forever young in the old land,
looking over the ocean,
the soil wet with rain
and grandfather full of peace.
Underground passage, Knowth Ireland
Those ancient doorways and narrow corridors… you walk them well, poet brother.
Lovely, Don. I feel those echoes from the old land too.
I can feel grandpa mike and Ireland calling
Soul food, this…..
Normally I wouldn’t go with an inversal like “north the sea,” but it fits the syntax of the overall poem beautifully. I have no idea what the title or the photo refer to, so a brief parenthetical below the title might be helpful to your more clueless readers, plus opening the door to appreciate the nuances of the poem a little wider. Lots of rich images, which I like…but it is the syntax that carries the train in this one–well done!
I felt a lot of this “both near and quiet” when I was recently in the west of Ireland, and especially at John O’Donohue’s grave……thanks Don……
Tir Na Nog – the land of youth ruled by pre-Christian gods of Ireland, a land of plenty, beauty, peace, joy and abundance. Sometimes living humans were invited to visit. Entry was usually through a burial mound, or going under the sea.
You let me feel the great circle in this poem, Don. The older I get, the closer I get to my youth. I guess when they melt together I’ll be able to return. Sometimes I ache for that, but as another poet said, I still have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep.
I will make me a Guinness egg “Nog” and read this exquisite poem again, with Rovers music in background, b’gories. Ach aye!
One of the foundational beauties of poetry is freedom from conventional definition and rule-bound grammatic……in favour of intelligent expression through heart.
The “old sod” is always the best, eh Don?!!
I feel this one, Don. Palpable. Beautiful.
I just like the feeling … and I aspire only to the path that leads to my own Tir Na Nog.
A reminder of past simpler heart-warming experience. Let’s all partake while such reminders occur.
Thank you, Don. You have well described the peace of this sacred day. Peace which is present, not merely because you have said so, but because it is.