Conversations

look at how the vast sky
is rose tinted this morning
as noisy seagulls wing their greedy way
to land on old cobbled stones
on a harbour’s damp slipway

swans are already busy
drinking rainwater collected
in the base of a dilapidated boat
waiting for the tide to turn
to set it afloat

in the distance Thatcher’s Rock
conversing with the sun
reminds me of Blake
as he stood on Primrose Hill
so long ago

the glow of tea lights
seen flickering between
tree canopies like morse code
the living are at peace
the dead tell me so

Reviews

[Dave]

Compared to what is happening in the "real world" is must be wonderfully balmy to trek along the beauties of your harbor. I can appreciate your need for a quiet escape.
Take care - Chris

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Dave. Back from a week’s holiday. It was peaceful and sunny. Couldn’t have been better. A lovely opportunity for a family get together. The conflict in other parts of the world is a tragedy. Innocent people die on both sides. The misery can’t be measured. Have a good Tuesday.

Chris

[Tom]

Yep, gotta look a little deeper, read between the lines like does the discerning eye and ear of the observant poet, so much activity to take in, behold, savour and enjoy, yes 'tis all happening here down by the harbour/seashore, peaceful, tranquility abounds, sadly though not the case in other countries of this manic world!!

Beautiful!

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Tom and good morning. Sadly the peaceful scenes of this harbour are a far cry from the horrors of our waring world. So much death and destruction and more so in the last few days. Makes me appreciate the beauty of Brixham harbour even more. So pleased for your visit and encouraging words. Have a peaceful Monday in your lovely cottage.

Chris

[Tom]

And same for you dear Chris 😋

[Arundass TP]

in the distance Thatcher’s Rock
conversing with the sun.


Beautiful poem. Loved it

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you so much. Pleased you enjoyed the read. Have a lovely day.

Chris

[the Poet Vondangerous]

Oh...I did not see those last lines coming. They were delivered in such a clever way that it takes my breath away (well...a little bit anyhow). I really like how each stanza focuses on a natural bird element until the last which focus on the narrator in the present moment. That gave this a dreamlike quality with a solid voice. Thanks for sharing and Viva la...

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you for your visit and for sharing your thoughts. Pleased you stopped by.

Chris

[Mauricio Montoya]

conversations can we hold a civil tone of what we remember your words spark what I won't forget you brought me back to dilingham alaska where the boats sunk in dirt in low Tide Bristol bay it was a time when the sun would not drop, day never night but as the day got old the tide would rise and boats afloat in water and the sea gulls would sing but fish were doom because man is on the hunt, your words speak beautiful I will never understand what you're saying but I can relate. what a great conversation. thank you for sharing

[Chris Shaw]

Dear Mauricio thank you so much for sharing your thoughts. A lovely review. Have a great day.

Chris

[jaye river]

i love how you talk about location, as i reader i can feel that it's something sentimental or special in some way. your words always have a sense of care and detail, it makes me miss places i have never even been to.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you for a thoughtful review.
I appreciate your visit.


Chris

[red93]

You are particularly good at harbour scenes Chris, and though you reference William Blake in this Piece, you definitely have me thinking of JMW Turner ( whose oeuvre of course really influenced the French Impressionist Master, Monet, and thence a whole generation of Major Artists ). Excellent ✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️

[Chris Shaw]

You spoil me Tony. Thank you my friend for your visit. Have a beautiful day.

Chris

[nadia dmitri]

Such imagery and emotion. I love the description of the the swans 'already busy'. a very beautiful piece :)

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Nadia for sharing your thoughts. I appreciate your visit. Have s beautiful weekend.

Chris

[John the Baptist]

A very peaceful scene of a harbor in the morning here. The only activity seems to be the rowdy antics of the gulls and swans, followed by a nod to Blake. The last verse is an assurance that all is at peace. Then there is that last line, " the dead tell me so". Is this symbolic or has something supernatural occurred? I also have another question: What are tea lights?

[Chris Shaw]

A symbolic write John. I rarely do supernatural. Tea lights are tiny little candles. The sun lit up the canopy of trees to create that effect. It was lovely. Thank you for your visit. Have a great weekend.

Chris

[Lorry]

There is something very comforting of a view that changes so little that it becomes almost like a habit in your life, but then the writers mind takes over and catches the subtleties of an oft seen view, from the perspective of a something or someone that most people wouldn't even blink at... And then you pick up your pen and turn it into something new and different, like it probably didn't cross your mind that morning you wrote this, of swans having a natter, like they had made an appointment for a cream tea and a natter, or of a scene that would etch the thought of Blake on your mind, or even the conversations with ghosts you probably didn't even think you had and writing of what they said and told you.
Good morning Chris! It's Lorry here! Trying to barge my way through all these spectres in the hope you notice I'm a real live boy and I'm jumping up and down like a schoolkids with his hand up, trying to get the teachers attention, so they can show them how cleverated they is! 😊
Ps... It obviously didn't work, because I recently found an old report card and reading the "must try harder" comment gave me an unnerving sense of déjà vu! 😊

[Chris Shaw]

Hello Lorry. You are right, the view changes little, but there are always new ways of seeing things. Like your reviews. They always put a new and Lorry like perspective on things. Our holiday is almost over. Back to the mire mundane next week. Have a great weekend.

Chris