A summer carpet
On terraces of ice;
Domesticated
It could furnish a dream-room
In a house of rock –
Saxifrage forests
Tower half an inch
Into the mists;
Parabolic arrays
Of Arctic dandelions
Rise and set
Once a year;
Terracotta tablets
Bloom with the solar flares
Of lichen;
Milky ways
Of damask moss
Track the lost
Ghost-waters
Haunting the chambers
And cracked foundations
Of the ice palaces
That towered here,
Vanished, and rise again
In winter dark.
Hi, Bro! Sorry it’s taken us so long to catch-up on your spectacular meanderings. Only just come back from today’s footy training with Jonny, recalled where I’d written down the URL, and simply couldn’t offord to get caught out by not having logged on to your blog ready for when we see you on 10th Oct. As always, beautiful words and spell-binding images. With the tales you’ll have to share, I’m certain the kids won’t want to let you go after a few short hours. Are you sure you can only come for lunch, & not a few days???? Much love, keep safe, Chris, Jacquie, Jonny & Libby (who will both be in touch shortly). XXXXX
P.S.: Jonny was voted House Captain at primary school – made such a rousing speech, & made us achingly proud! Apparently, he sounded like you!
Dear Nick,
Finally catching up with your “posts” after being away for a few days and am very alarmed at how close you and friends came to near disaster – so glad all is okay in the end! Your descriptions of the voyage are amazing, but as always it is your poetry that really moves me – I feel as though I am there with you,standing on the Tundra, gazing out at the vast expanse of frozen wilderness! Come back safe, and keep writing poetry!
much love, Catherine xx