A Requiem for the Islands

For Iain who sailed there.

A colour

A chord

A chant in the light

A storm breaking slowly across a singing sky

Piano rain pressing this land and sea

Into the voyages of a personal history

Weeping tears that are lost across the windowed face

Of one that was loved

Coloured glass breaking the hearts

And missed fears

That are collected in a shining thought

Draped in these ripple textured liquids

And the sodden linens held in trembling hands

 

Looking for a pencil steeple

From a sea of whales

And other mysteries

Where we once played drunk

And cast our minds to ancient islands

Lost within the cries of seabirds

Flying across the chapel coves of our rest

And strange laughter

That long echoed the cliffs

And cut the waves from us

As we dove beneath them

Linking us to the past

In this beautiful place

Of water and mountain

Of light and wind sea spume

Of ruined dun and standing stones

That sang

When touched

By a true hand

And collected memories

Into them

For the one left behind.

 

Author's Note

Once upon a time we sailed around the Hebrides. Dervaig church on the island of Mull has a pencil steeple. The photograph is mine and called Light in the Islands.

Reviews

[Frieda P]

Your words always capture your photographs and painting to perfection, these brush strokes upon your page take me to far off mystical places Ken....

Looking for a pencil steeple
From a sea of whales
And other mysteries
Where we once played drunk

Always a grand vision from your pen my friend.

[Ken Simm.]

The pencil steeple is in a place called Dervaig on the island of Mull in the Hebrides Frieda. Where my friend Iain had his boat. We used to sail up and down the Minch between in the inner and outer Hebrides getting drunk. And navigating to fly s**t stains on the map. Thnk you for those wonderful words dear friend.

[emmajoy]

Your words describe time spent in magical places with a dear friend; they touch minds and hearts now as you touched each others in the past. But for me, that beautiful photograph shows the two of you, together, flying in wondrous harmony - sober, happy, playing drunk, adventurers of your precious corner of the world.

[Ken Simm.]

It was Emma. good and bad ,but mostly good. Thank you for your words. Iain certainly lived his life.

[Jack...]

Another adventure into the mind and memories of you my friend. The photo - fantastic, the poem - out of this world. You capture the purety of the scene and bring to us the feel, the warmth and the beauty of this world. Very well done my friend.

[Ken Simm.]

I am honoured you think so Jack. Many thanks.

[Sami Khalil]

I felt I was transported to that magical island with great fascination in my mind echoing the beauty of the cliffs in your words and collecting memories of great coves...
A splendid write from a talented artist...:)

[Ken Simm.]

Many thanks Sami. Much appreciated.

[Sami Khalil]

You are welcome...:)