SENSITIZE ©

the barque

she sailed into the cove
turquoise water
salt taste of sea spray
scent of childhood

sun beat down in waves
warming pink thrift on the cliff top
the cry of the gulls
ah, the cry of the gulls

I saw her
pointed
squinted against the sun
then she was gone
and they laughed at me
nobody else saw her
nobody else remembered how to see

delph_ambi wrote:the barque

she sailed into the cove
turquoise water
salt taste of sea spray
scent of childhood

sun beat down in waves
warming pink thrift on the cliff top
the cry of the gulls
ah, the cry of the gulls

I saw her
pointed
squinted against the sun
then she was gone
and they laughed at me
nobody else saw her
nobody else remembered how to see

Oh, this is simply beautiful Delph. It took me back to my youth on my uncle Robert's motor-launch by Bowling Harbour, the Clyde and Arochar at the end of Loch Long. While reading it I was also transported to hot summer days, bright white and coloured clothes, health, seafood, wine and laughter. Superb piece mate. Thank you for sharing.

Thought this interesting too. It doesn't tie in fully with your poem but it might prove handy elsewhere. Irish Gaelic for 'boat' is 'bád' and 'yacht' is 'luamh'. Cool ...

Thanks Lugh. I was thinking Cornwall when I wrote this -- influenced by childhood memories, and too much Daphne du Maurier, no doubt. On another site someone said Nessie! and another one again, The Lady of Shalott.

By the way, how do you pronounce 'luamh'? Useful to know, if ever it seems appropriate for a poem.

delph_ambi wrote:Thanks Lugh. I was thinking Cornwall when I wrote this -- influenced by childhood memories, and too much Daphne du Maurier, no doubt. On another site someone said Nessie! and another one again, The Lady of Shalott.

Ahhh Cornwall. I had a wonderful holiday there back in 88 in Perrinporth about 8 miles south of Newquay. Gorgeous place. We toured all around and St. Ive's blew my mind. Truro was an amazing experience too ...

Loch Ness. Did most of the lochs around the Strathclyde region outside Glasgow but admit, I never got anywhere near to Loch Ness. I'd love to sometime though. It looks hauntingly beautiful in documentaries and films. Then of course, there's the monster (Nessie) ...

delph_ambi wrote:By the way, how do you pronounce 'luamh'? Useful to know, if ever it seems appropriate for a poem.

Lol, I think it's pronounced 'lome' although I admit I'm not a Gaelic speaker Delph. It could equally be pronounced 'loave' because the 'mh' at the end is a 'v' sound to the best of my knowledge.

I'll find out from my mate John and get back to you on it soon...

delph_ambi wrote:
By the way, how do you pronounce 'luamh'? Useful to know, if ever it seems appropriate for a poem.

Hi Delph

I have Séan Óg (John Hughes) here with me now and asked him how to pronounce 'luamh'.

He says;

"lua (Mid Ireland - Counties. Leitrim, Offaly).

luav (South & South West Ireland - Cork, Kerry, Wexford)."

Please note the 'a' in these phonetics are silent or subtle. I'm trying to think of an English example to assist pronunciation here but can't. Best thing to say is that the word 'luamh' like so many other Gaelic words, holds a breathy, lilt or musicality within it...