Samhain

1.

First snow –
bird inside cage, inside darkest of corridor,
winter of all requirements,
on final day of October,
spirits wander
through
cabinets,
to sing at night
among snowflakes that
come invited on your hair, as we
carve faces from darkness, pale blue lightness of icicles.

2.

We just opened
doors to Samhain, where
elders’ souls
wander
thru’ darkest of
our lands.
With them, winter –
where November seeks through
weak light our long shadows,
tears & final, blood
harvest;
such a thin veil
between
two
worlds,
as the living
blends with the dead to
feast in peace below first snow.

3.

Hallow,
Samhain,
feast of the dead –
time to reconcile with
Nocturne,
demons disguised
around old
cairns,
ready to dance
with northern lights.
From primal
frost,
tell me the runes will never lie.

© Nat Hall 2013

—————- 31 Oct 2013, Samhain

and from canada

 http://artseast.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/from-shore-to-shoormal.html

thank you for a great, eloquent book review, Arts East 🙂

FreeSpace #3 Nat Hall and Lili Morgan: On the theme of ‘Music’

The last panel from this music inspired triptych with Artist Lili Morgan, and curated by ArtiPeeps.
Really enjoyable collaboration, as well as stimulating from a creative point of you.
Enjoy 🙂

ArtiPeeps

Here’s the last  ‘FreeSpace’ Collaborations put together by poet Nat Hall and artist Lili Morgan inspired by the theme of  ‘Music’.  This time Lili was inspired to create by Pavarotti and his classic version of Nessun Dorma  (See here) .  Lili passed her work onto Nat who produced the poem below in response. 

>>>>

 

.

none shall sleep

by Nat Hall

.

below the drapes of green & gold,
below the thirsty Hunter’s moon,
………..below the stars’ dancing eyelids;

above the turmoil of each tide,
above that thin layer of mist,
………..above the edge of your canvas –

.
in between my eyes & your shore,
in between now and Aquilla,
………..in between sheets of the north wind,
………………………………………………………..we shall not sleep

.
below blotched dots of question marks,
above my doubt-rocking silence,
………………….in between words we never said

.

View original post 81 more words

Your Library, your home

When librarians get together and open the great hall of books to celebrate the spoken word,
my county library comes alive.
On this occasion, the theme read “ageing creatively”.
So we gathered at the Hillhead, and read our favourite poems, when not our own.
Great night out!

Donald provided da music

Mary read Stella Sutherland & Laureen Johnson;

James read his own

Debbie played the pirate (!)

Christian illuminated the night with “Bird of Paradise” (short prose in the first half) and poetry after the interval.

After the interval, Donald restarted with music. Librarians Catherine & Louise read selected verse,

Catherine

Louise.

I chose to read Atlantic Canadian poet Joe Blades’ Storefront Poem 24, followed by newly written material for the event – a triptych of micropoetry, followed by “Sophie”, a stand alone piece.

However, members of the audience added their own marks through different readings & performances, including young Elvin, followed by his mum.
Our chief host,Marghie, closed the night as she opened it, with flair and smiles.

All in all, a brilliant night. Thank you, dear librarians & Shetland Library for such a great event.
Their website is to be checked for the myriad of events held by our spirited gang of librarians 😀

aurora

my sky tonight

If there is something I never tire of, it is the magic of my Nordic world.

Here, the magic of aurora borealis – the northern lights – “da mirrie dancers” are they are known on the island… It is as magical, ethereal and  ephemeral as – well, the other show we have here on this latitude: the nocturnal ballet of storm petrels during the summer months, as they trade places to keep an egg warm (as well as going to find food on the surface of sea water…

The First Nations & Native Americans believe in spirits and Father Sky. I adhere to this. 

Simply magic 🙂

in passing

 Not miles, but metres separate Mareel from the Hay’s Dock Café.

What a better way to enjoy a blustery Sunday afternoon but with friends and good live music?

Such was my treat earlier on this afternoon, as Debbie and I reconvened to meet with Dorothy and The Donald Anderson Band inside the Shetland Museum’s  lavish & gourmet restaurant. The boys had decided to make it their venue for a splash of performance whilst raising funds for Multiple Sclerosis (MS). So they plugged in their guitars and lashed on with style and flair.

This was the second time I actually watched the band live. Donald’s songwriting talent is maturing like a fine malt. On the road as a quartet since 2005, our four accomplished musicians delighted a crowd of connoisseurs ( who came to sample music as  well as gastronomy!) Donald, Duncan, Alan and Rick feel as filskit (energetic) live as a gang of teenagers. Though very refined and polished musically 🙂

Here, in passing – do not miss them out should you cross their path!

HIGHLY ENJOYABLE and RECOMMENDED.

Rick Nickerson (NS, Canada)

Alan McKay (Shetland)

in full swing

Donald Anderson

Duncan Kidson (N Yorks)

coup de coeur

 There is a voice from Fair Isle I learnt to appreciate and love. This voice is timeless, as I am listening to her final opus, A Time to Keep. And remember all encounters. Her words and sounds flow like da tide in between the island I watch from Sumburgh Head and my hearth. And remember the very first time I actually listened to Lisa live in Lerwick at some Folk Festival. It was at The Shetland Hotel. Long time friend , Dorothy Nickerson, had invited me along. This was the start of our friendship. We later met at separate occasions, most of the time at Mary’s hoose in Lerwick, or at Wordplay. My only creative connection with Lisa dates back to 2006-7, when she approached me with the request to translate her selection of verse from Shetland dialect into French, for the purpose of the Ouessant Poetry Festival. Lisa wanted her French-speaking audience & hosts in Brittany to understand her Fair Isle & Shetland poetic scapes. She was really chuffed about that.

Today, I still listen to Lisa, and remember a gentle woman and true wordsmith. Her poetics is timeless, as well as tattooed in my heart.

#poetrydayuk

WATER IS THE THEME

Today is National Poetry Day, and since the theme for 2013 is water, here comes my stone to the edifice.

Rain Words

clop,

clop, clop, clop,

dark drone

dweller,

spit from the sky, free diver’s style –

clop,

clop,

clop,

clop –

every drop writes Poetry Day,

as water drools,

drowns

words

and

sounds.

Clop, clop, clop, clop –

drip from grey

sky,

when

wind hisses and

crushes rain like wide open

pomegranates, blackbird stands still,

hides and listens.

Clop,

clop,

clop,

clop,

gravity found against windows

all around us,

fleurs de chagrin,

eyes from a world

crushed against glass.

Clop,

clop, clop,

clop,

September melted on roof slates,

starlings drink from

overflown

pipes.

Clop, clop, clop, clop,

ink from heavens, invisible,

the start of rivers,

in a cloud.

© Nat Hall 2013