Morning Mist

The year has got off to a good start despite the bad winter. I am currently working on three poetry collections. One is based on the ancient Chinese style of 'Rivers and Mountains' tradition of nature poetry. I live in a semi-retreat type way and there is no shortage of wilderness in the views from my cottage, so it's ideal for writing in the austere style that typifies 'Shan-Shui'. Here is an example:

Morning Mist

Morning mist clings like silk to the mountain's flanks.
Sky becomes wondrous yellow and pink.

No end to these marvels from my retreat. Inside
and out, it's just the same lately.

Sat still and mindful with my gate closed, moonrise
is magical. And heaven's river sparkles away forever.

(c) Mark F Chaddock 2010

Evening

Winter afternoon. Half-lit alder trunks close by.
Rose-tinted, white clouds sail across the sky.

Difficult to convey such fleeting beauty, even
gilded grass-blades seem touched by a mystery.

A ragged ram feeds among willow-copse shadows.
A few short Buddha steps he’d be clothed in gold.

16th January 2010
© Mark F Chaddock

New Pen

You have the feel of a beautiful woman’s skin,
slippy and sensuous, my hands gliding

effortlessly as though, beyond lust or reason, this
were always their destination.

But it’s when I lift your small compact body
and undo you that you reveal your unmarred

perfection, so that I gaze upon your fine lines
and curves as if you were the beginning of the world.

Now, I come to use you for the purpose you
were made, your blood spilling my clumsy

inadequate words onto virginal white vellum.

24 Jan. 10
© Mark F Chaddock

Scoil Acla Centenary Opening

Images from Achill island's Scoil Acla Centenary Summerschool opening last evening (20th Feb) in Teddy lavelle's, cashel, Achill. I was fortunate to have a landscape image of mine selected for the front cover of the commemorative brochure - an image of Trawmore (Keel) strand and Innishgaloon island.

Morning Mist

Spectacular mist and cloud today. Clare island thrusts through mist moving from Clew bay into the Atlantic. Photographed with a Kodak compact digital on my lunchtime walk.

New Images

I've been busy shooting a few landscapes when time has allowed recently. Here are a couple of my more recent images. Both were taken on Achill island, the second looking to Croaghaun mountain after snowfall in february, the first looking south over the Atlantic on 1st Feb, the first day of Spring, St. Bridget's day, patron saint of animals.