A MONUMENT OF TIME

A castle in ruin where wild winds blow;

A monument with time in sunlight and shadow;

With walls of stone that once stood proud,

Now grey with lichen beneath the clouds.

Wrecked by man and undermined by age

Once outliving kingdom's rage after rage.

So intimidating against the sky

Where battles were fought and soldiers died,

And now a castle of neither strength or grace,

Succumbing to weather and the earth's embrace.

But even in ruin the beauty remains

With stories of ghosts haunting its domains.

Commanding an atmosphere all of its own,

Spanning centuries as history is told,

And while it's presence feeds your fascination,

It's magic casts spells on your imagination.

Reviews

[ANTO]

The writer really gets the story of these ruins out from behind the walls - even if they are just imagined happenings - they are probably close to truth.

"And now a castle of neither strength or grace,
Succumbing to weather and the earth's embrace." - very eloquent my friend.
We say if walls could talk but so many of these walls are finally talking with the help of modern archaeology techniques. That still doesnt diminish the romance of these or the spookiness of them in mists or at night. You made these come to life Andrew. Thank you for posting this.

[Kathy Van Kurin]

'A MONUMENT OF TIME'
andrew mitchell,
To hike a historic site with castle, garden and grounds as you wrote in last two lines so true;
"and while it's presence feeds your fascination,
It's magic casts spells on your imagination."
I agree! My husband and I went to Europe some years ago. I remember Edinburgh Scotland's castle and I was mesmerized. Oh my such mystery, such stories it had to tell. After touring the interior the awareness became real that the visitor only scratches the surface. Good poem for sure and thanks so much.
Kathy

[andrew mitchell]

Wow. Luck you Kathy. Thanks for stopping by.

[alf]

Andrew. Hat off to you. Your writing is definitely holding a higher notch on the counting pole. You have taken a castle, given it colourful history, given it life!! Then, with those thoughts firmly embedded in the readers mind, you have given them the reality of the NOW. I was so standing amongst those ruins, seeing the place, imagining the heroic deeds, and then was brought back to the present. One suggestion, that space . . . But even in ruins would have so much more timbre in the telling after a forced pause. try it and see what you think. That infinite space between then and now. Loved this, alf

[Coyote Poetry]

I like the ancient places. The old cities and the old battlefields.
"And while it's presence feeds your fascination,
It's magic casts spells on your imagination."
I agree with the above lines. If we listen we can hear the voices of people who lived and are gone now. Thank you for sharing the excellent poetry.
Coyote