Saturday 30 July 2011

Coastal Path


on this wind-blasted coastal strip
with their backs to the waves
small trees bend
to look like scraggy crabs
marching onward
though crabs walk sideways
and the invading trees come fearlessly forwards
keen about their business
covering the land as best they can
taking positions on this sandy hill
on that smooth hillock
on those strange humps
in this cutting of shells
gorse and hawthorn defending the shore
supported by heather under fire
marram grass on dunes
and the few rough-coated sheep
ignoring old wire defences
and keep out notices
surround a smashed gun battery
take over a deserted lookout post
like soldiers coming into the lines
to meet projectiles hurled in their direction
defending territory between sea
and the golf course
with its battery operated buggies
generally having a rough time of it
inquisitive rabbits
peer from the burrows
and the council truck
with its theodolites
brings up the big guns

_
gw2008, 2011(revised)

7 comments:

  1. I like the lack of capital letters and punctuation marks Gwilym - it gives the effect of the landscape being overtaken - of the endless to-ing and fro-ing of the sea with no interruption. Love it.,

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  2. cheers, John!

    thanks, Dartford!

    time and tide - thanks, Pat

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  3. A cracking poem.

    A comment for the latest Bard on the Run post(I can't comment there):

    Congratulations!

    (Only doing 4 mile runs here at the moment, but I reckon I'm fit again. I'll have to go in for a 10k).

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  4. It simply gives personality to the characters.

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  5. Many thanks Dominic. I'm recharging my legs!

    Pleased that you're back in the running mode. I think you'll be OK in 10kms with your marathon training background and probably up to half marathon distance - but I'd recommend not going beyond that for a couple of years until your injury has abated. I never do marathons - except mountain ultras which are basically long walks. Would never consider 26 miles on tarmac. The roads are cambered and so you risk knee and hip injuries. As you know I had a groin injury - recovered with Nordic Walking Sticks . I think they keep the body evenly balanced.

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