In May I had the pleasure of visiting the Orkney Islands for a short (too short) holiday. I was overwhelmed by their beauty and the friendliness of the people. St Magnus Cathedral is stunningly beautiful and I became re-aquainted with the poet Edwin Muir. As a child I read his poetry knowing very little about him.
Here is one of my favourites:
The Castle
All through that summer at ease we lay,
and daily from the turret wall
We watched the mowers in the hay
And the enemy half a mile away.
They seemed no threat to us at all.
For what, we thought had we to fear
With our arms and provender, load on load,
And towering battlement, tier on tier,
And friendly allies drawing near
On every leafy summer road.
Our gates were strong, our walls were thick,
So smooth and high, no man could win, no clever trick
Could take us, have us dead or quick.
Only a bird could have got in.
What could they offer us for bait?
Our captain was brave and we were true …
There was a little private gate,
A little wicked wicket gate.
The wizened warder let them through.
Oh then our maze of tunnelled stone
Grew thin and treacherous as air.
The cause was lost without a groan,
The famous citadel overthrown,
And all its secret galleries bare.
How can this shameful tale be told?
I will maintain until my death
We could do nothing, being sold;
Our only enemy was gold,
And we had no arms to fight it with.
Edwin Muir
It is wonderful to discover or re-discover wonderful poets.
Let peace and love rule the world.
Denny Bradbury – Green Poet
