Today's poet

[Hes]

There is a line in a song somewhere (possibly by the Waterboys) which I've never forgotten which goes:

"I will always be your friend for as long as you'll be mine"

I really like that sentiment. Unconditional love is pretty rare except in dogs and babies! I think most of us find it hard to keep on offering the hand of friendship if it is continually ignored or rejected but when someone offers it in a true and honest way, then it is something to be treasured & reciprocated. Talking of the Waterboys, have you heard their version of Yeats' 'Stolen Child'? Very nice.

[Harry H Howgill]

I really like that sentiment. Unconditional love is pretty rare except in dogs and babies! I think most of us find it hard to keep on offering the hand of friendship if it is continually ignored or rejected but when someone offers it in a true and honest way, then it is something to be treasured & reciprocated. Talking of the Waterboys, have you heard their version of Yeats' 'Stolen Child'? Very nice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jg-oJKYIinQ

I'm listening to it as I type. Beautiful.

Blimey, I've not heard that in years. It takes me back to my school days when my musical tastes were being expanded beyond Top of the Pops.

[Hes]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jg-oJKYIinQ

I'm listening to it as I type. Beautiful.

Blimey, I've not heard that in years. It takes me back to my school days when my musical tastes were being expanded beyond Top of the Pops.

Me too. I was just about to go to art college and was discovering some great music. I used to hang out with my friend in Burnham Beeches sketching old trees and then we'd go to the second hand record shop and buy Kate Bush, Waterboys, David Sylvian and stuff like that...this is probably more appropriate for the music thread! Have you heard an album called Now and in Time to Be? It is a compilation of songs created from poems by Yeats and has people like The Pogues, Sinead Lohan, Waterboys on it. Interesting.

[Hes]

Love Without Hope

Love without hope, as when the young bird-catcher
Swept off his tall hat to the Squire's own daughter,
So let the imprisoned larks escape and fly
Singing about her head, as she rode by.

Robert Graves

[freckle]

Me too. I was just about to go to art college and was discovering some great music. I used to hang out with my friend in Burnham Beeches sketching old trees and then we'd go to the second hand record shop and buy Kate Bush, Waterboys, David Sylvian and stuff like that...this is probably more appropriate for the music thread! Have you heard an album called Now and in Time to Be? It is a compilation of songs created from poems by Yeats and has people like The Pogues, Sinead Lohan, Waterboys on it. Interesting.

Hes...this sounds so idyllic...wow....oh to be an artist...bit envious actually!

[Harry H Howgill]

Me too. I was just about to go to art college and was discovering some great music. I used to hang out with my friend in Burnham Beeches sketching old trees and then we'd go to the second hand record shop and buy Kate Bush, Waterboys, David Sylvian and stuff like that...this is probably more appropriate for the music thread! Have you heard an album called Now and in Time to Be? It is a compilation of songs created from poems by Yeats and has people like The Pogues, Sinead Lohan, Waterboys on it. Interesting.

I've not, but I'll look it up. I can still remember amongst others the first time I heard and was gobsmacked by Enya's Sail Away (north Wales on holiday) and Chumbawamba's Rappaport's Testament (On a Sunday night in my bedroom.) The Chumbawamba song certainly isn't about fell running but has a nicely relevant repeating line which is "I crawled in the mud but I never gave up"

[Harry H Howgill]

Fairfield Horseshoe in the Snow

It was a grim midwinter’s day
When Billy rang me up to say:
“Grab your kit, despite the snow,
We’ll give Fairfield Horseshoe a go.”

So off we set all full of beans,
Up the Nab through Christmas scenes.
Fresh tracks made, lively banter,
Lads together, at a canter.

Even though the view soon vanished,
Thoughts of maps were quickly banished.
“A dozen times we’ve all been round.
We’ll recognise familiar ground.”

Blazing trails through the frost,
Without a thought of getting lost.
Summit reached; no soul there,
“Its us brave boys; no others dare!”

We looped on round the great horseshoe,
Map still in bag and compass too.
Then spot some stud marks on the floor,
“They’ve done an anticlockwise tour!”

“Well done to them” we all did say.
More tough souls had braved the day.
Its odd we didn’t meet them though,
But visibility is zero.

“Well that’s our navigating done!
Chase those tracks, enjoy the run.”
We sped on down, a happy group,
Certain we’d complete the loop.

Then suddenly as we descend,
Appears the sun; a long lost friend.
Delight at first, then someone blabs:
“That’s not High Pike, this one's the Nab!”

We then all twigged what this view meant:
Those tracks were ours! From the ascent!
“Our navigator’s for the sack!”
We’d not looped round, we’d come straight back!

There were no others, only us.
Silly fools. But that does,
Send a message: In the clag
Get your map out of your bag!

[Hes]

Fairfield Horseshoe in the Snow

It was a grim midwinter’s day
When Billy rang me up to say:
“Grab your kit, despite the snow,
We’ll give Fairfield Horseshoe a go.”

So off we set all full of beans,
Up the Nab through Christmas scenes.
Fresh tracks made, lively banter,
Lads together, at a canter.

Even though the view soon vanished,
Thoughts of maps were quickly banished.
“A dozen times we’ve all been round.
We’ll recognise familiar ground.”

Blazing trails through the frost,
Without a thought of getting lost.
Summit reached; no soul there,
“Its us brave boys; no others dare!”

We looped on round the great horseshoe,
Map still in bag and compass too.
Then spot some stud marks on the floor,
“They’ve done an anticlockwise tour!”

“Well done to them” we all did say.
More tough souls had braved the day.
Its odd we didn’t meet them though,
But visibility is zero.

“Well that’s our navigating done!
Chase those tracks, enjoy the run.”
We sped on down, a happy group,
Certain we’d complete the loop.

Then suddenly as we descend,
Appears the sun; a long lost friend.
Delight at first, then someone blabs:
“That’s not High Pike, this one's the Nab!”

We then all twigged what this view meant:
Those tracks were ours! From the ascent!
“Our navigator’s for the sack!”
We’d not looped round, we’d come straight back!

There were no others, only us.
Silly fools. But that does,
Send a message: In the clag
Get your map out of your bag!

Blooming heck HHH! This is genius. Seriously, that is definitely one for the book. Love the story too, I think we all probably have a similar tale to tell...mine involves the Old Man of Coniston...

[Harry H Howgill]

Blooming heck HHH! This is genius. Seriously, that is definitely one for the book. Love the story too, I think we all probably have a similar tale to tell...mine involves the Old Man of Coniston...

You are too kind. It is a tale I've wanted to put onto paper for many years, and this thread seemed just the right spot.

[Hes]

You are too kind. It is a tale I've wanted to put onto paper for many years, and this thread seemed just the right spot.

I'm not being kind, I'm genuinely impressed. I've been trying to write a longer poem about my misty run yesterday and have only got a couple lines sorted so far. Did it take you long to write? Anyway, I'm glad this thread gave you the impetus to share it. Oh dear, 0.39am and I should be in bed as I'm biking tomorrow morning. It is an addictive thread.