Fragments and thoughts, Poetry by Keith Grossmith, from: To the Garden: A Walk and Talk Through Time and the Seasons with TS Eliot -
Thank you to all who participated in To the Garden: A Walk and Talk Through Time and the Seasons with TS Eliot - I have decided to share some of the experiences from the walk on my blog. For more about the walk, please check through past postings..
MARGATE AT 9 YEARS OLD.
Underneath the sundeck
A freckled evening sky
Near where the patient Coxswain gazes
Up from the Bali Hai
Across from where our Eliot
Disjoined the untiring shore
The wild and migrating waves
Ripple evermore
To see the dappling orange
Kiss the harbour wall
Hear the laps of Mermen aye
I have witnessed all
I have seen the gilded seahorses
Bridled grace and shy
Carriage mermaids with their sanding hair
And sea green emerald eyes
Been witness to the marvel
Of Amphitrite’s’ calm and swell
On Margate’s sand have heard her call
Yes and then heard her tell
How ancient sailors married
Their salient souls with sea
Sang shanties at the high squall
With white horses on the breeze
Of salt and chalk and thunder
Of sweat and rum and sun
Of lusty girls in far off lands
And war and death and guns
How they have loved another place
Beyond the ancient pier
Beyond the browning harbour arm
On oceans topaz clear
How they cupped their hands at noontime
To squint the narwhale swim
And dread them with the beauty
To hear her deathly sirens sing
When they dined on beer and herrings
Befriended albatross and shark
Made heave ho with the land ho rope
After the silent iron dark
While underneath the sundeck
We have played our games with sand
Built castles at the shoreline
To protect our fragile land
Paddled in the ancient rock pool
Searched with yearning eyes
Reaching for those other worlds
Beneath evening Satsuma skies
I have read some sea tales
In chalk upon the wall
Watched in awe at 9 years old
Of love messages enthralled
Heard clacking of ha’penny bandits
Kiss-me-quicks and candy floss
The lure and sheen of arcade machines
And the litany of gloss
I have marvelled at the jolly boys
Of the rockers mods and skins
I have watched half naked drunks
Desperate for the swim
At the promenade by Arlington
Pink cheeks rubber ring bellies
Ravenous for the sea food
Of cockles and mussels in jelly
I have been into my dreamland
Seen it with my childish eyes
Of the double wheel and scenic rail
Travailing Margate skies
Experienced the fear of halcyon years
Of young lovers lustful graze
Lessened by an innocence
I too have been amazed
For I have loved this playground
Walked through the living place
Been witness to the morning smile
And evening sunshine on her face.
Keith Grossmith 2016
A freckled evening sky
Near where the patient Coxswain gazes
Up from the Bali Hai
Across from where our Eliot
Disjoined the untiring shore
The wild and migrating waves
Ripple evermore
To see the dappling orange
Kiss the harbour wall
Hear the laps of Mermen aye
I have witnessed all
I have seen the gilded seahorses
Bridled grace and shy
Carriage mermaids with their sanding hair
And sea green emerald eyes
Been witness to the marvel
Of Amphitrite’s’ calm and swell
On Margate’s sand have heard her call
Yes and then heard her tell
How ancient sailors married
Their salient souls with sea
Sang shanties at the high squall
With white horses on the breeze
Of salt and chalk and thunder
Of sweat and rum and sun
Of lusty girls in far off lands
And war and death and guns
How they have loved another place
Beyond the ancient pier
Beyond the browning harbour arm
On oceans topaz clear
How they cupped their hands at noontime
To squint the narwhale swim
And dread them with the beauty
To hear her deathly sirens sing
When they dined on beer and herrings
Befriended albatross and shark
Made heave ho with the land ho rope
After the silent iron dark
While underneath the sundeck
We have played our games with sand
Built castles at the shoreline
To protect our fragile land
Paddled in the ancient rock pool
Searched with yearning eyes
Reaching for those other worlds
Beneath evening Satsuma skies
I have read some sea tales
In chalk upon the wall
Watched in awe at 9 years old
Of love messages enthralled
Heard clacking of ha’penny bandits
Kiss-me-quicks and candy floss
The lure and sheen of arcade machines
And the litany of gloss
I have marvelled at the jolly boys
Of the rockers mods and skins
I have watched half naked drunks
Desperate for the swim
At the promenade by Arlington
Pink cheeks rubber ring bellies
Ravenous for the sea food
Of cockles and mussels in jelly
I have been into my dreamland
Seen it with my childish eyes
Of the double wheel and scenic rail
Travailing Margate skies
Experienced the fear of halcyon years
Of young lovers lustful graze
Lessened by an innocence
I too have been amazed
For I have loved this playground
Walked through the living place
Been witness to the morning smile
And evening sunshine on her face.
Keith Grossmith 2016
An excellent poem ... Full of description that describes the Margate that I, too, remember from my youth ... Well done to a talented writer and swordsmith that paints with words !!!!
ReplyDeleteThought provoking and a pleasure to read. A great use of words to express the many sides of Margate.
ReplyDelete