Postcard 76: Not quite Moby Dick...

Heading back to Greenwich on The Thames Clipper
from the O2
(May 2010)

It was only yesterday that I was blogging about my early visits as a baby and toddler to the squirrels in Greenwich Park. I have been back to Greenwich many times, and feel a strong connection with the area. I love to take the Thames Clipper from the London Eye, and approach Greenwich by water. You get a good view of the Naval College, the Maritime Museum and the Park, with its Meridian. Sadly the Cutty Sark is not on show at present, but restoration work is underway. However, the current headline story relating to Greenwich concerns not a small grey mammal but a Leviathan-sized skeleton.

Drawing out of Greenwich
on the Thames Clipper

The Moby Dick-like tale relates to Bay Wharf in Greenwich and the recent finding by archaeologists, working for Pre-Construct Archaeology Limited, of a colossal North Atlantic Right Whale from north Atlantic waters, probably in the areas between Spitzbergen and Greenland. I am grateful to the History Blog for alerting me to the sad, sad story of this 200 year old headless corpse of a creature that died at some point between the age of 50 and 100. The remaining skeleton weighs in at 60 tons and is a mere 52 (Imperial) feet long. It seems to have fallen foul of whalers and their harpoons. Whales were prized in the 17th and 18th centuries for their oil, and the word 'right' in the name indicates that whales of this species provided quality oil for lamps, soap-making and industry. Whale bone was used for corsets.

Can a sad story like this have any kind of happy ending? Please note, I have NO wish to endorse the killing of whales. Those who follow my blogs will know the immense pleasure I get from watching creatures like Basking Sharks in their natural habitats. However, this sad mammal is already well and truly dead. DNA tests on its skeleton will help scientists in their quest for knowledge about the genetic diversity of this particular Right Whale. It will also help to fuel our understanding of the negative impact of whaling in terms of the future survival or otherwise of a particular species. Perhaps the discovery of 'Moby' will challenge us all to reconsider the part we can play in protecting creatures at risk.

The London Eye,
where we caught the Thames Clipper

'Like the creature in Herman Melville's novel,
it was a giant whale of great age.'

David Keys,
The Independent

• 'Moby' in Time Magazine
• and in The Independent

Postcard 75: Tantallon and Bass Rock

I had a 'double surprise' package last Friday. It contained the latest editions from Indigo Dreams Publishing of their magazines, Reach Poetry (issue 144) and The Dawntreader (issue 012).

Each publication contains one of my poems. 'Isabella Tiger Moth greets the Woolly Bear Caterpillar' appears in 'Reach Poetry' (editors Ronnie Goodyer and Dawn Bauling), and 'Tantallon' features in 'The Dawntreader' (editors Dawn Bauling and Ronnie Goodyer).

I have been keen to spot furry caterpillars this last year. I don't think I have actually seen a Woolly Bear. I wonder if others of you always used to look out for what we called Furry Mollies? It seems these creatures are affectionately known as Hairy Mollies. You can see my furry caterpillar page here on my nature blog, Wild and Wonderful.

Tantallon,
looking out to Bass Rock

My Tantallon poem is about the view of the Gannets (short video-clip here) on Bass Rock from Tantallon Castle in Scotland. You can read about my visit to the castle in a previous post, here.

You can read about the history of the castle here. The staff of Historic Scotland do a great job in caring for the ruined castle site. It is sadly ironic in these days of decay to find the following quotation on the Undiscovered Scotland site. The words were written to Henry VIII by an English Ambassador in November 1543:

"Temptallon is of such strength as I nede not feare the malice of myne enymeys..."

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to this exposed spot. I wonder if you have been following Neil Oliver's (recent) second BBC series on 'A History of Scotland'.

Don't forget to let me know what you call the caterpillars! And do take a look t Crafty Green Poet's North Berwick post ... serendipity?

Postcard 74: I.M. - Edwin Morgan

Castle Urquhart on Loch Ness

What lies beneath these ripples on the loch?

I am grateful to Professor David Morley and to the Weaver of Grass for alerting me to the fact that the fine Scottish poet, Edwin Morgan, died on 19 August 2010.

You can read about the poet's life here. He was a remarkable man, with a gift not only for writing but also for teaching and translating. You can read an alliterative tribute from Carol Ann Duffy here.

We all have our favourite poems, some of which seem to fit certain seasons and situations. As I thought about Edwin Morgan, my mind flitted back to happy Scottish holidays - and to Loch Ness, in particular, which I had enjoyed seeing on the television programme, 'Coast', earlier this week.

It is not surprising therefore that I have chosen to link through to Morgan's evocative piece, 'The Loch Ness Monster's Song', which you can hear in the poet's own voice on The Poetry Archive site here. It may not be the poet's 'best' poem (whatever that may mean), but it certainly highlights his dexterity with language and, in my opinion, something of our poetic and indeed human fascination with things that are perhaps 'beyond our ken'.

P.S. I had just completed this post when I noticed that a tribute from Crafty Green Poet aka Juliet Wilson had popped up in my feed. Do take a look here.

• A previous Loch Ness post
• A wonderful tribute in The Guardian by Carol Rumens, and another by Alan Spence. See also here.
  

Postcard 73: All at Sea ...

Puffins again!

A year ago I much enjoyed reading Sea Room, a book about the Shiant Islands by Adam Nicolson, who inherited the small archipelago from his father. Those who follow my blog posts will not be surprised to learn that the Puffins were among the star members of the cast for me - all 240 000 of them. It came as something of a shock, though, to read that some of these Amber Conservation Status birds ended up - and not so long ago - as food for humans.



Last month, we spent a happy afternoon at the Museum of Island Life at Kilmuir on Skye [above]. This fabulous museum is situated between Flora MacDonald's grave and the cool waters of the Minch.*




The visibility was quite good on the day of our visit: we watched a Golden Eagle hovering above us in the distance, and noticed some very strange landforms out at sea.



We looked at our map and discovered that these islands, a mere 12 miles from our shore, were indeed the Shiant Islands.

Above: the stone in the foreground is on Skye.
The Shiants are in the middle distance.
Harris lies beyond.

Above: close-up of the Shiant Island rock structure,
with steep column-like cliffs.

The islands consist of columns of Dolerite, and geologically are more akin to Staffa [of Fingal's Cave] than to the plethora of rock types found on Skye. They are home to huge colonies of Black Rats.

It may only be early August, but already the trees are turning here in South Wales, and there are signs of autumn. I have just read the update on the Skomer Island blog, informing us that following the fledging of this year's Pufflings, members of the Puffin colony have already left their island off the coast of Pembrokeshire for their winter voyage. You can read about them here. I find it incredible to think of these birds travelling so far north ... and then south again!


* On a previous visit we witnessed a scene of the purest light we have ever seen. It may not have been the aurora borealis, but it was the next best thing.

• Great photos of the Shiant Islands scenery
• Bird art from Romania - a lovely blog [and the illustration made me smile!]
• Rats at natural World Heritage sites
  

Postcard 72: The Seventh Quarry (& The Women of Linear B)

The Archive Room [where Linear B tablets were found], Palace of Nestor, son of Neleus at sandy Pylos
[Top two photographs copyright David Gill]

Looking out over sandy Pylos

July 2010: my poem, 'The Women of Linear B' [ref. 15/2005] has just been published in 'The Seventh Quarry' [p.11, issue 12, Summer 2010, editor Peter Thabit Jones].

I have loved the adventurous tales of the Homeric hero Odysseus since childhood, so it is hardly surprising that I went on to take my degree in Classical Studies [at Newcastle upon Tyne]. It is perhaps not surprising either that I went on to marry a Mediterranean Archaeologist!

I have always been fascinated by the Homeric epithets [and here]: rosy-fingered Dawn and wine-dark Sea come immediately to mind. You may also be familiar with grey-eyed Athena or crafty Odysseus.

Many have heard of Penelope, wife of Odysseus, and her battle with the suitors while her husband was away at the war. The Olympian goddesses play their part in the Homeric epic, along with females of supernatural powers like Circe - and the alluring Sirens, whose songs drove sailors onto the rocks.

Such is the stuff of mythology and epic, but I wanted to look behind what we know as timeless literature (though it actually began as oral poetry, delivered in ring cycles by bards), to see what tasks were being undertaken by the real women - many of them slaves - who lived through most uncertain times.

Linear B tablets, deciphered by Michael Ventris and John Chadwick, provide some clues for the role of those women who beavered away behind the scenes in the area of sandy Pylos, in the western Peloponnese. This was the starting point for my poem.

A Linear B tablet, listing religious offerings of olive oil.
This one is in the British Museum.
This one was not from the mainland:
it was found at Knossos on Crete by Sir Arthur Evans,
and is Minoan [LMII].

N.B. If you would like to take out a subscription
to The Seventh Quarry poetry magazine, details can be found here.

Websites of interest:

• In Search of the Trojan War by Michael Wood (you may have watched the television series)
• David Gill's Pylos pictures
• The Linear B Tablets
  
• Pylos - site information
  
• Finds from Pylos in the Chora Museum
  
• Troy - the movie
• Linear B on heritage-key.com and here
  
• Resource on ancients scripts
  

Postcard 71: Myddfai

We passed waterfalls and rills up the Swansea Valley

This is Usk Reservoir...

... with ponies.

The approach to Myddfai,
with the Church of St Michael's

Pulmonaria in Myddfai,
otherwise known as Lungwort

The village of Myddfai lies somewhat tucked away in the Brecon Beacons. The story goes that a farmer's son saw a young lady rise from the lake known as Llyn y fan fach. She had golden hair, which she proceeded to comb. The couple fell in love and had three sons. The lady returned to the lake, but not before she handed over the knowledge of her medicinal cures to her first born son, who became the first Physician of Myddfai.

The Guardian for 1 June 2010 reports that plans are afoot to start a new herbal remedy outlet in the village, with a cafe, and craft area in which a potter and quilter will work.

Myddfai was famous for its natural medicines and plant potions in Medieval times.

• Walks in the area
  

Postcard 70: St Govan's Chapel

Guillemot colony at Stack Rocks
near St Govan's
on the Castlemartin Range, Pembrokeshire

St Govan's Chapel
tucked in its rocky cleft
(click to enlarge)

Stack Rocks
near the Green Bridge,
Castlemartin Range
(click to enlarge and spot the Guillemot colony)

We spent the Bank Holiday in fine sunshine on the Pembrokeshire cliffs, here at St Govan's Chapel. It is a favourite haunt. Some people believe that it is the final resting place of Sir Gawain.

We failed to spot any seals today, but the flowers - including the Green Winged Orchids - were a delight. There were scores of bees and butterflies.

Some years back I took part in a Disability Arts Cymru project, which resulted in the publication of an anthology called Hidden Dragons | Gwir a Grymus (edited by Allan Sutherland and Elin ap Hywel, Parthian Books).

My poem, 'St Govan's Chapel' features in the book. It was later selected for inclusion in an Arts Council Wales report (Moving Beyond: an Arts & Disability Strategy for Wales p.7), which is online. You can follow my link through to read it here.

Postcard 69: 'Unthinkable Skies' by Juliet Wilson

Do visit my Coastcard blog here
to read my interview with Juliet Wilson,
author of the sparkling new poetry collection,

'Unthinkable Skies'.

'Unthinkable Skies' (2010)
by Juliet Wilson (aka 'Crafty Green Poet')

The collection is available from
Calder Wood Press

28pp, £4.50 plus p&p - UK £1, Europe £1.50, Rest of the World £2

ISBN: 978-1-902629-28-5

Postcard 68: Hull, Larkin and a Plague of Toads!

This should be a Toad,
but it's actually a Frog that hopped on to our back doorstep!

Gateway to Hull, The Humber Bridge

2010 marks the 25th anniversary of the death of Larkin. It was good to read in the latest edition of The Times Higher Education Supplement that back in 2001 Larkin's 'long-term partner Monica Jones' bequeathed a collection of Larkin memorabilia - including the poet's duffel coat and NHS glasses - to the University of Hull, where the poet served as librarian from 1955 until the time of his death in 1985.

Larkin wrote two poems about toads, and a 'ceramic frog-shaped money box' was included in the selection of personal items. Toads and frogs have fascinated human beings for centuries: I remember being captivated by the 'brekekekex' frog chorus (see also here) in the comedy by Aristophanes, when I was at school.

During the Larkin25 Festival, a commemorative statue will be unveiled at Paragon Station. The festival will run for 25 weeks, during which time the town will be invaded by a plague of fibreglass toads, presumably of similar construction to King Bladud's drove of psychedelic pigs in Bath (and here), which I much enjoyed seeing on my way to and from the hospital!

• Toads and Toads Revisited by Philip Larkin
• My Brekekekex blog
  

Postcard 67: Through the Wardrobe to Narnia!

The reflection in this lamp post
(in the Cathedral Close at St Davids, adjacent to the Thirty-Nine Steps*)
reminds me of Lucy's meeting with Mr Tumnus in 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'.

Those who read this blog will know that my postcards are usually about places I have enjoyed visiting on my literary quests. This postcard is a bit different. I have just read two excellent posts by Rosie of Leaves 'n Bloom about her trip on the C.S. Lewis trail. I feel sure that you will enjoy these posts as much as I have. The embedded YouTube video gives an excellent overview in Part II.

• Part I
• Part II

The wardrobe that inspired Lewis is on display in the Wade Center in Wheaton College, USA. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is one of my all time favourite books. You will remember Mr Tumnus the faun, with his 'strange but pleasant little face' and his cloven hooves. Later on, of course, he is turned into a stone statue by the White Witch. But can Aslan the lion come to the rescue...?



* These steps are known locally, as the 'Thirty-Nine Articles', after the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion of 1571 given in English and Latin, the assent of which is still required of clergy in the Church of England. They form the "authorised standard of doctrine". The steps are not named after the John Buchan thriller!