Wednesday 21 January 2015

Offerings of Poetry ~~~

Gentle Reader ~~~ Words only today, for I have been Spring Cleaning ~ are we allowed to say 'Spring' Cleaning ~~~ well I've been cleaning and clearing, New Year's Turning Out maybe? Along the way I found some long forgotten papers, folded up, yellow and faded, and no idea what lay within ~~~ so, with a little trepidation I carefully peeled them open and imagine my surprise to find poems I had written some years ago, some when I lived in Iceland and some I really don't remember when ~~~

~~~A long time ago, I had another online journal, Tales from a Celtic Heart and I shared a link to my Flickr Iceland album, which you can find here ~ so if you want, you can have a look at some of the pictures of Iceland that I took.  They are proper 35 mm film, and about 20 years old, so are grainy and gently faded, but full of character, and greatly loved and treasured for I was happy as a polar bear in snow when I lived in Iceland~~~

So, I am going to be brave and share, copy some of those long forgotten words here, and I will see what memories they bring for me ~~~

Iceland is a land of water, surrounded by water, with shining, shimmering water everywhere you look ~~~ you cannot avoid the water ~~~ rivers, lakes, waterfalls that will take your breath away ~~~ frozen water, glaciers, and snow ~~~ 

WATERS OF ICELAND

Silver, sprightful threads
Dancing in the breeze;
Cascading waters tumble
To the river far below and
Meander to the sea

Gushing, grubby torrents
Tearing headlong through the land
Spew forth from mighty glaciers
Ever~changing courses
Charging to the sea
~~~~~

Þingvellir {pronounced Thingvedlir} was one of my favourite places to visit. Part of the Golden Circle it is the site of the oldest parliament, the Althing, and sits across the mid~Atlantic Ridge.  In my heart, I always felt very 'Middle Earth' when visiting this special place, and this was my tribute twenty years ago ~~~

THINGVELLIR

Silent you lie, in dreams of long ago;
Lives have been born and lost on your shore.
Here did the Settlers make their laws work;
Here Christianity first made it's mark.

Oxarafoss, the toy of the gods
Tumbles and falls over moss covered rocks
To Dreykinggar as it waits far below
Where many a sharp, scolding tongue did go.

Almannagata, that gate of all men
Stands high, overlooking Thingvellir plain,
Here Njal fought with friend against foe
Within the rift, formed so long ago.

Here East meets West, near the Shores of your Lake
~~~~~

Of course, there was snow ~ many kinds of snow ~ and for over half the year snow was a fact of life, something that you dealt with every time you left your apartment, so this is my little ditty about snow in Iceland ~~~

NORTH WINDS SNOW

The North Wind is blowing
and there will be snow e're long.

It howls and it moans about our heads,
It squeaks in the cracks, wakes us up in our beds,
The snow starts to fall in the shimmering light;
When we wake up tomorrow, all will be white.

The shovels and scrapers wake up with alarm,
Winter is here boys, get up now and arm!
We've slept for six months, but now is our time ~~~
The paths must be cleared, it is our time to shine!

The children can't wait for school to be out,
To "Deadman's" they'll rush, with a scream and a shout,
Up the hill, down the hill, up once again,
Soon Mom will be calling, "It's time to come in!"

The snow plough is out, Two Alpha's arrived
Sent home from work, in our homes we must hide.
Hope we've got food in, I don't want to starve,
The Commiss'ry's closed and the wind's blowing hard.

For the time it is over, the roads are all clear,
But it will be back, soon enough, don't you fear!
All Winter long the North Wind will blow,
And time after time, we shall have snow.
~~~~~

Well, there you have some of my poetry now.  I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I remember writing it ~~~ already I am editing the words I wrote! I have some more, but will save them for another day.  Sorry, I know I promised you the recipe for the Marzipan Mincemeat Palmiers, and I haven't forgotten, I just wanted to share these words and it, somehow, didn't seem right to share the recipe with the poetry ~~~ it will be shared very soon, I promise you.



15 comments:

  1. Your poems are very nice, Deb. I sent the link to this to my son. He's going back to Iceland and taking some friends this time next month. They're hoping to see the aurora borealis. He went in May the last time by himself and drove the circuit, camping in places.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Cathy. Oh, how I miss driving and camping in Iceland ~ such memories of tents nearly taking off in the middle of the night on the back of the glacier! lol ~ and the roads where sheep have right of way! I hope he gets to see the Aurora ~ it is spectacular and I saw it many times. Maybe I should write a few words on that next? ~~~Deb

      Delete
  2. Just lovely, Deb! Your words create such wondrous, wintry images of this remarkable part of the world. What a treasure to find your long forgotten poetry… for you and all of us! ♡

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Dawn ~~~ now all I want to do is re~write these and write some more! ~~~Deb

      Delete
  3. Deb, your poems are filled with emotion. I loved the North Winds Snow. Your must share more! I will check out the links soon. Have a lovely evening. ♥

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Martha Ellen ~ I do enjoy puttering with words. I hope you enjoy the links ~~~Deb

      Delete
  4. I've never visited Iceland but I enjoyed reading your poems .... brings it to life very well, thank you.

    All the best Jan

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Jan ~ maybe one day you will visit Iceland?

      Delete
  5. Lovely words that let me imagine a place I have never seen. You do have a gift of words, my friend. I am so glad you found these and all the memories they have brought you. I smiled reading those poems and imagining you there so happy.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Darlene ~ I'm pleased you smiled when reading my poems ~~~Deb

      Delete
  6. What sweet words, thank you for sharing them.
    Such wonderful memories.
    Better get school started.
    Fondly Michelle

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Michelle ~ oh, yes, do get school started! That is important. ~~~Deb

      Delete
  7. Oh those are wonderful dear Deb!... such a talented writer you are... hope you are enjoying some blissful days... my thoughts are of Spring, and flowers once more... can't wait for more of your poetry also!... xoxo... Julie Marie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Julie Marie ~ these are very early, even before I realised how much I enjoy writing ~ the temptation to re~write them now is overwhelming, but it would take away their honesty ~~~Deb

      Delete
  8. Hi Deb, Isaw your comment on Barbara Gray's timeline about when you went to university. So it struck a core as I did a Painters and Decorators course after a relationship break up and carried n with Interior Design and Soft Furnishing. Positive out of Negative! Then I came on here and find you are sharing your poetry. I have just started a Poetry Blog at the end of last year and have been looking for someone else whi is into Poetry. Well isn't that a coincidence. Nice poetry by the way. Sam Crowe x

    ReplyDelete