Today's poet

[Old Whippet]

N-Dubya - I really enjoyed the woodpecker poem. Funnily enough, a couple of weeks ago I was in Borrowdale catching a glimpse and hearing an awful lot of woodpecker chatter, and started to string some words together which came to very little. Pleased I didn't pursue it now!
And the Armitage trip.... well Once Brewed is nearest to me, but anywhere would be worth an outing. I like the idea of Harry's of combining a run with meeting the great one. Maybe a re-tread of the High Cup Nick route - or the Roman Wall race or one of the many Dales races that I don't know about. And I reckon Mr Armitage would be Very interested in what goes on on this thread.
Exciting stuff.

[Derby Tup]

Table Mountain spied
behind hotel swimming pool
gin, tonic, ice, slice

[Derby Tup]

last two minutes left of internet connection
panic sets in
typing speed increases
heart rate leaps
excitement at thought of going home
tempered with a long flight and red eyes
can't wait for weekend!

See you guys again soon

[Harry H Howgill]

I do like that HHH! Wish I had more time to post but this is just a 5 minute break after harriers and my tea before I go and slap a load of glue on some paper...don't ask!

Sounds intriguing. I'm surrounded by sculpted spuds and potato print pictures as I type. Obviously another fun day at the Howgill household yesterday.

[Harry H Howgill]

Count me in! I love Dufton and that area and know some pubs, B&Bs & campsites up there. Just hope it is not when I'm running a workshop or invilved in some arty event...they seem to be clashing with my running exploits. Better go...sorry for the lack of poetry...it is just the current work stress.

He's planning on being in Dufton on the 15th of July. It is somewhere I've never been despite seeing it every day from work, so it sounds good to me as the day to aim for to meet him.

[Harry H Howgill]

Table Mountain spied
behind hotel swimming pool
gin, tonic, ice, slice

How cool is that?!

[Harry H Howgill]

last two minutes left of internet connection
panic sets in
typing speed increases
heart rate leaps
excitement at thought of going home
tempered with a long flight and red eyes
can't wait for weekend!

See you guys again soon

Safe trip DT. See you soon.

[Alf]

Fell Larks

Climbing upwards
One voice hoarse the other sweet
Stooped and wings spread
Earthbound and heaven bound
Till the summit is reached
Now both plummet almost equal

Alf

[N-dubya]

Morning all

Loads of interest in the Pennine job, what we need know is to put our heads together and think of arranging where we could meet up with the chap himsself I'm more than happy to don the Scarpa sl's for the day and to a bit of walking and . Just looked where Dufton is onta map I think this would be quite a central point for many of us so come on who loves near there and knows a friendly inn keeper and is prepared to put up a modern day Geoffery Chaucer

[N-dubya]

On Marsden Moor

Above the tree line and below the fog
I watched two men on th opposite slope
hauling wooden poles and slabs of dressed stone
from the foot of the hill towards the top.

They didn't stall -just lifted , carried, dropped.
I watched for an hour or thereabouts,
way off, but close enough in a straight line
to bundle them over with a big shout.

Away from the five o'clock of the town,
out from under the axles and bruised skies
it bothered me that men should hike this far
to hoik timber and rock up a steep bank.

Because what if those poles were fencing posts
to hammer home, divide a plot of land
between the two of them, and those dumb stones
the first steps to a new jerusalem?

Simon Armitage