Silent, Standing Stones

Impressions on viewing Stonehenge

An image of Stonehenge.  Photographer: Rick Puetter, ©2012 Richard Puetter, all rights reserved.

 

Silent, standing stones

 

     …Stonehenge, what secrets do you still hide?...

 

Oh, silent, standing stones

What mystery hide you there?

What are the secrets of this henge

Of which we’re unaware?

 

In torrent or in sun

You never shirk or hide

You stand so strong--so straight and tall

Bold stance--undying pride!

 

Your stones came from afar

They are not native bred

Your lintels were both pinned and locked

By architects long dead

 

The central altar stone

Surrounded by its guards

A bluestone horseshoe, that comes first

Then sarsen horseshoe, scarred

 

Two circles, they come next

Again bluestone is first

Then come the larger sarsen stones

From circle now dispersed

 

Your outer trench held graves

Cremation ashes there

Was this a site of sanctity?

A place for gods and prayer?

 

And in light winter’s dust

What marvels you do show!

Your boulevards stretch out so long

Their ways traced out in snow

 

And all about the land

So many sites entwined

There are the walls at Durrington

The barrows at Lake Down

 

The Cursus, great and small

The barrows of the King

There is the henge that’s made of wood

And Robin Hood’s Ball’s rings

 

Oh, for a thousand years

Your people used these hills

Renewed your constant monument--

We feel that power still

 

And when we too have passed

Your stones will still stand strong

Oh, we’ll have no such testament--

Our names soon lost to song!

 

Oh, how we feel your stones!

And ‘though your people ‘ gone

We hear their voices still today

Each summer solstice dawn!

  

 

Two additional images of Stonehenge. Photographer: Rick Puetter.  ©2012 Richard Puetter, all rights reserved.

©2012 Richard Puetter

All rights reserved

 

 

Notes:

 

Stonehenge is thought to have been used as an active site from roughly 3000 BC to just after 2000 BC.  The site underwent many changes, from just a ditch with perhaps some timber poles, to a site with two distinct types of stones, the smaller bluestone uprights (this is a loose term referring to the blue stone of "foreign origin" at Stonehenge), and the sarsen stones (mostly of spotted Ordovician dolerite) that had horizontal, locking lintels on the outer circle and large Trilithons (two uprights and a pinned lintel, a horizontal stone bridging the upright stones) in the central horseshoe.

 

The whole area around Stonehenge is full of secondary structures.  And perhaps “secondary” is unfair since many are much larger than Stonehenge, such as the large Cursus (we have no idea of the purpose of this structure), and the walls at Durrington.  Stonehenge and the surrounding area is truly a remarkable spot, full of ancient artifices, a true archeological treasure that has only had the mere surface of it scratched.  What treasures are yet to be found?  We continue to find amazing new things that we wouldn’t have guessed to be possible, here, such as what appears to be a 30m deep well that would seem quite an impressive feat without the benefit of modern digging equipment.

Reviews

[emmajoy]

As ever and always you create not only a wonderful poem but a piece of history that's really, truly, enhanced by your words. You've added more than enough facts to make people curious, which as a proud English woman, means a great deal to me, thank you. Would have loved to walk with you as you felt the magic of Stonehenge.

'In torrent or in sun ~ You never shirk or hide ~ For you stand strong and straight and tall ~ Bold stance--undying pride!' .. that's such a grand description of the stones.

There was a time, even in my lifetime, members of the public could stand next to and touch the stones, but the powers that be have now decreed otherwise. Even Midsummer day's dawn rising is controlled.

Tis said that a shaft of light can also be seen passing into the main chambers of similar sites in Ireland, Wales and Scotland. A terrific amount of research has been done, is being done, about the inhabitants of such places. even to aliens being involved. The discussion and study continues, always will!

Many thanks for sharing such a wonderful experience, Rick.. your poem's grand.

[Neva Flores Smith - Cha..]

Rick. This is a wonderfully written piece about a subject that personally has always fascinated and held me deeply intrigued. I too, stop and wonder and have written about my deep thoughts as to whether we have or ever will accurately understand the meaning of the placement of these stones........again, a wonderful piece. Thank you for this one. Neva

[Hadewijch Lady of the N..]

A beautiful, wonderfull poem! Your words are breathtaking.
It reminds me of a song of Sonne Hagal;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anNm9_fY550

it is called: Over the stone.

Nice work of this :)

Hail from the north,

Hadewijch

[Chloe..Across the Unive..]

I enjoyed this very much - like you, i wonder about these stones ..
Was there a Merlin? King Arthur's Court? What myths could be more that myths?
These stones, Stonehenge still remain such a mystery... Entertaining and informative. Thank you.

Chloe

[David Scott]

Great poem. Educational. Vivid images of days ago. Great meter words flow well. Very professional!

[AK]

Wow! Great poem:) The notes that followed it were really informative (and aided my understanding of the piece).
It is so well written and as always, I adore your style of writing:)

[Tate Morgan]

How long can any man made thing last ? I would hope for a while but one look at htese and we realize how futile the attempt

[WhiteWillow]

I have read so much on the history of Stonehenge, and now, after reading your piece (and gazing at your lovely photos), I finally feel like I've been there. A wonderful piece.

[Ruth]

Beautiful photos too! :)

[Ruth]

I have always wanted to visit Stonehenge, feel the energy and absorb the aura :)
This is a beautiful poem love, a pleasure to read and linger within, I find your poetry as such, always a chance to float around the images that create portals within the mind of the reader :)
xoxo

[Katie Lynn]

This is beautiful! I was always captivated by Stonehenge, and I've always wanted to visit the site. Elegantly penned and flows perfectly.
One catch - I think perhaps you meant to say "Your" stones instead of "you're stones will still stand strong".
Great work!

[Rick Puetter]

Hi Katie,

Thank you for your kind review. I'm glad you enjoyed the piece. And yes, you are correct about the typo. Thanks for catching it. It's amazing how they become so invisible to you. I still occasionally find them in poems that are years old. So I am grateful.

My very best regards,

Rick