- for Birgir, Hekla and HrafnkellOn the island of fire and ice
see the trolls and the elves
late emerged from the dark
with music magic and art
the street's at the end of the world
where Pythaeas the Greek
sent his wife to flog fish
in a spot on the Langavegur
a setting for surreal events
she never returned, the way was rugged
and dark; the wind's melancholia
brings freedom to roam in the lights
of the North where the plover of gold
is the bringer of summer.
______
gw2010
I liked the rhythm here, Gwilym, and its always great to learn something from a poem. Old tales link in to modern nature.
ReplyDeleteThanks Gordon,
ReplyDeleteDid those 4th century Greek sailors actually bring any women with them to Iceland? And does it really matter? The Greek men were certainly there and presumably they did what sailors the world over always do when they've been on a long and tedious voyage. As you say, they linked in :)gw
they would have arrived with those p(lovers) of (gold) b(ring)ing their summer - and doubtless some who not return to Athens - for they'd be charmed and enchanted by the local elves and of course our dusky heroine was taken by some troll.
The streets at the end of the world! Oh how i long to go there Gwilym. I have seen the glaciers of Greenland and long to go to Longyearbyen - but oh the awful sea journey to one plagued with seasickness.
ReplyDeleteHello Pat,
ReplyDeleteFive miles off Fleetwood nearly did for me. It was about 20 years ago. The combination of the smelly mackerel heads we had to put onthe hooks and those huge waves ... I go queasy when I think of it now.
Yes, I'm more of a landlubber too.