Tintagel - Birthplace of Arthur:
A Poem By Pete Marshall
Perched high upon this jutting cliff
The flint felt hard upon my feet
I lay with lizards and basked in warmth
As waves rose high and swirled beneath
Across the bay the castle walls
That stand in time & in a time
Many have been and dabbled with myths
Whilst taking steps to do the climb
Below the surf strikes on the rocks
And hides the cave where magic lies
As people wait for seas to drift
And search for quartz beneath the tides
The rolling slopes and ragged crags
Engulf the isle that now lays calm
Where once was death and battles fought
And magic brought the golden one
My eyes search out the fabled tales
As colours blend upon this land
And birds that swoop in endless song
From grass & rock to sea & sand
Behind my back stands Barras Nose
Who’s clash is vain with battling seas
As heat comes down and warms my soul
I lower my head in prayer for thee
And those before and yet to come
Like beating drums within my mind
To find a place that brings you peace
Away from truths that take you home
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Moondustwriter started it with her poem of knights, The Path of the Discarded, then Dustus continued it with his poem Guided Home. I then received a comment yesterday on a poem that i had written about 4 or 5 months ago, and so i dug it out and reread it. I have been feeling quite low this week and reading this poem was a tonic. Tintagel is my most favourite place in the world. Situated on the North Coast of Cornwall its rugged landscape, looking out over the Atlantic Ocean, is is a sight to behold. And then their is the castle, as legend says, the birthplace of Arthur. Beneath the castle ruins is a cave visible only when the tide is out. This cave is called Merlins Cave.
Having had a chance to read the poem I must admit I couldnt help but tweak it a bit so now it is different from my original version, nevertheless i hope you like it for what it is, a tribute to a magnificaent part of the world, a place i love with all my heart, Tintagel. Thanks for reading Pete
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image courtesy creative commons flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/dysanovic/
20 comments:
Pete based on your poem I can sense the timelessness of this place. A magic still hovers.
You draw the reader in to want to experience this place. maybe a ruin to many but there is still a beat.
Grateful for you my friend
Moon Smiles over a pond
nice piece pete...those last two lines bring it to a head for me...far from those truths that take you home...and that line could be read at least 2 ways...home...or death...i like that. nice play.
cheer up or i will send you some more bad poetry about yourself...smiles.
cheers guys, just love this place..even spent my honeymoon here!! its a wondrous, magical place..
I love this poem, and the photo, and your explanation.
This has a very engaging metre and great power to it.
Thanks for an excellent piece and a terrific post.
All the best, Boonsong
Pete, I loved reading Arthurian Legend years ago. Your poem brings clarity and feeling to what I recall of the tales. Also, agree with Boonsong—fantastic poem in that it also resonates through well-crafted metre. Hey, cheer up before we all follow Brian and send you bad poetry. lol Cheers mate.
Very nice read, my good chum. This flows just beautifully! I'm big on anything even vaguely Arthurian, so kudos to you for this! :)
fantastic piece pete - it just oozes with your love for this beautiful mystic place with all its legends and - both - the peaceful and adventurous longing for being there or where it makes you feel you are… hope you cheer up soon (have a bad day myself - halfway sick…)
Pete, I had not read this before. The magical wonder of Tintagel. It is a place I longed to see. I have always loved the Kind Arthur stories. As for Merlin and wonderful Cave. I seems so real to me. This such a great poem and I can see way it gives you such peace. Cheer up my friend.You are so lucky to where you are and also have a great talent.
Take care and trust in God.....
Melanie
Pete, I like your magical description of a place that seems to bring you peace and serenity.
I love the name Tintagel.
Your words really have a magical quality to them that conjured great imagery. Seems your spell worked!
Pete, thank you so much for sharing this special place with us. I think it's so cool how the three of you have kept the theme in motion.
I especially liked the third from last stanza about the birds!
Hi boonsong..thanks for you great comment..the place has a magical feel to it and i have spent many a great moment there..cheers Pete
Hi Dustus..thanks for the compliments..it definitely was worth a reread as the second version is so much better..cheers Pete
thanks Tony..anything Arthurian does is for me too..
Hi Claudia..hope your day got better..thanks for a great comment..i recommend you visiting it..cheers Pete
Hi Cassiopeia Rises...the beauty if this place is when the tide goes out you can venture on to the beach and enter Merlins Cave,,the amount of quartz that lies on the floor is mind blowing
Thanks She...to sit on the cliffs and feel the wind as you look out over the bay is a very special thing..
Hi Liza..thanks i hope they did and you are now planning a trip
Thanks Fireblossom...the other twos poems got me revisiting this and it did keep a wondrous theme going..cheers Pete
I think (sometimes) those truths DRAG us home. Nice one, Peter!
hi eric...thats the problem with truths..we cant stay where we want to be forever as life really doesn't stop for us!!!!cheers pete
hi eric...thats the problem with truths..we cant stay where we want to be forever as life really doesn't stop for us!!!!cheers pete
Hi Pete. They say all Americans make for Stonehenge or Stratford-upon-Avon when they come to England (Britain) but I made for Tintagel even though I couldn't pronounce it. The sweet Cornish girl puzzled by my calling it Tint aug el (with the same g sound as my name) didn't know what I was saying but straightenend me out.
This piece takes me back there, the stories of Camelot, and how the rhythm of your rhymes capture the sound of the sea. As usual, beautifully written. Thank you.
hi beachanny..i am so glad you went..what still amazes me is the walk from the bookstore by the side of the Cornishmanns Inn..you start going down the slope, turn the corner and WOW..the view just knocks you out..and then when you get to the bottom there is still the climb of the steps back up to the castle..an amazing place indeed..cheers Pete
This was great, very enjoyable! Well done :)
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