Here’s a poem from last month, when my recovery from Long Covid was getting me down. I’m pleased to report that things are much better now, with one full week behind me with no illness. Here’s hoping the tide has fully turned.
As my mind wasn’t firing on many cylinders, it might be a tough read. The first stanza is a little meditation, a prelude, on writing itself. The poem has nods to songsters, Bob Dylan and John Dowland…
But first two photos from a few yards from our new home in South Queensferry, ten miles from the centre of Edinburgh. The harr (sea fog) crept in overnight, and stayed all day. These were taken at 5pm, and complement the poem, connecting with my brain fog (a symptom of Covid) and contributing to a really awkward pun, for which I offer an apology up front!
Postscript: For you peasants who can’t read Latin, lachrimae antique novae refers to old and new tears, while lachrimae gementes verae refers to mourning tears being real, genuine. Both are titles of laments by the Renaissance composer, John Dowland.
The second stanza is a nod to Hamlet: I could be bound in a nutshell and count myself a king of infinite space, were it not that I have bad dreams (if my memory serves Shakey well).
The miss-spelling of Corona in the penultimate line is all my own, while the occasional jump (20 20) is a quirk of my very lovely Remington Noiseless Portable (which isn’t noiseless!!).
The photographs are AMAZING!!
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And so is your comment 🙂 I got lucky.
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This is a pure blues Rob. Deep
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The blues is all-pervading, even in monochrome!
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The blues is all-pervasive, even in monochrome!
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Fine poem, fine photos, and I am glad to hear that you’re emerging from the harr.
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Thanks, Richard. Appreciated.
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😊Rob, so good to read a poem from you again.. loved it and the beautiful photographs.. always wondered what it would be like living there near the bridge.. look forward to more pics! Very glad you’re on the recovery road! ❤️
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Thanks, Cathy. The challenge is not taking tourist shots of the bridge, which is difficult! xx
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yours would always be far superior Rob 😊
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Lovely photos and poetry Rob. So glad you are on the mend. Cheers
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Thanks, Jacob. Good to hear from you! Best wishes to your family.
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Hauntingly beautiful photos.
Nice poem.
Glad that you have recovered, or recovering.
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Thanks, Bill. Much appreciated.
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Only came to know about the blog today. Fine verses, there. I can hear a scratchy voice overlaying the drone of blues guitar in the back of my head now. I might have to play it out. Thanks, Rob.
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Cheers, Roy. Scratchy is le mot juste!
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