magic nocturnal spirits

Aurora borealis, mirrie dancers, aurores boréales, Northern lights have been dancing – and still are, as I type – enchanting the island, my heart and eyes. Giddy, dizzy, such earthly spectacle from our amazing star.

Pure magic 🙂

Never had it so ethereal! 🙂

light wanderings

It only takes a moment.
Be in the right place at the right time. Stand up and feel.

Plenitude found in one of those precious capsules of happiness when we align to earth and sea – feel at one with our homeworld.
As life allows, such communion with our land- (or sea-) scapes should not feel privileged moments, but natural ones.

My nearest safe haven of now remains my local favourite beach. As a longer weekend loomed on the calendar, I took full advantage of it.
So I wandered down to the shore and locked my heart into the now

Here, my homeworld in panoramic 🙂
I had the whole of the beach, sea and sky to myself. I listened to the wind and waves in the shoormal, where sand and shells shift.

Sheer plenitude in such moments, topped up by magic northern lights way past twilight.

Thank you for all this wonderful magic!

Falling Into Place: ArtiPeeps Update

From Project & Artists’ community curator 🙂

ArtiPeeps

Looking at the diary yesterday, I realised I have not done an ArtiPeeps Update for a while, and there has been a lot going on in terms of development. Last month we finally opened our official bank account as an organisation. This is in preparation for the fundraising for ‘Transformations’. I have to say that it all felt very grown up, and a bit of a benchmark for us! There’s nothing in it at the moment, but I’m sure that will change when our sponsorship drive kicks in!  At the moment it feels like lots of little jigsaw pieces are being lain down in readiness for the completion of the whole picture. It’s amazing how one big movement, a coming together, is so overwhelmingly dependent on so many smaller pieces sliding into position behind it….

So where to begin: at this very moment I’m pulling together our ‘Transformations’ Kickstarter…

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‘Centaurs and Rumours’ Whisper 2/5: Transformations Poems (Book 12)

From the Transformations’ Project, within ArtiPeeps – Book 12 – Caenis

ArtiPeeps

TRANSFORMATIONS

February 2013-March 2014

17 poets, 15 months, creating 1 contemporary reworking of Ovid’s Metamorphoses

See the Transformations Page for more details or the ‘Present Collaborations’ Tab

__________________

Poems Inspired by Book 12

.Featuring:

Nat Hall and Rebecca Audra Smith

_

Caenis

by Nat Hall

.

from rosebud to bloodshed,
from jewel to sharp blade
from honey to stallion;

from pure silk to armour
from loose hair to cold blood
from needle to honour –

from pomegranate to fire,
from morning dew to tasteless dust
from peau de pêche to leather skin,

one young nymph wished for
shameless spear,
as token from
His
affection.

Caeneus

by Rebecca Audra Smith

.

A man becomes a mountain-
half man, the men, half horse-
decry Caeneus, tell him-
get back to the womanly occupations
your hands remember.

When he will not, they strip
a mountainside of its trees
uproot a forest.

Caeneus…

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live from Mareel

Sunday split by a very undecided sky…
Listening to live jazz at Mareel,

Here, inspiration

Live from Mareel

Two flower pots
shelved against glass –
two musicians glued to tied strings,
two herring gulls above
hay’s dock,
behind
rain
drops –
here,
wild as jazz.
#micropoetry fae #60N

14-2-14

Parlons d’amour.

Ce matin les oiseaux ont chanté
les premiers soupirs
du printemps
encore endormi dans
les brassées de
la mer,
cheveux
de bruyère de
la terre,
courbes & teint hâlé de
la lande, là où
les cœurs s’encrent
au rouge orangé du soleil.

Ouvre ton cœur,
laisse-le me souffler des mots
ambres.

Let’s speak of love.

Today birds sang spring’s
primal sighs,
still
asleep
inside ocean’s
arms – hills’ heathery
hair, shapes & tanned skin
from our peatlands,
where hearts
ink themselves
from this orange-scarlet sunrise.

Unlock
your heart,
let it whisper me amber words.

© Nat Hall 2014

l’amour

Have you noticed? Our garden birds have begun to serenade around us. Light is gradually returning to our northern latitudes (and in between two storms) we feel our hearts beating.
Last January, my local newspaper, The Shetland Times, commissioned a first poem that was to be tied with Valentine’s Day. A love poem. So I took my best fountain pen and let my heart speak in free style.

Six days later, a reader approaches me at Mareel to share her reactions – her face radiated with heartfelt warmth. In a 21st world dominated by so much austerity (dare I say nearly Cromwellian style) I am pleased to feel love still reaches out to people 🙂

Allons, parlons d’amour…

Here it is,

Early Buds

Tell me the world wakes
from thin ice,
first
look of
love inside
our stars,
Altair, Aquila & Lyra –
Venus in silky cyan blue.
From night to light,
I watch you dream from my garden.
Inside February’s coldness
hide early buds;
Listen for blackbird at sunrise;
as our sun warms pink horizon,
I feel your heart inside my shirt –
your will to join in dawn
chorus beyond
stone walls,
waves
and
headlands.
Now, look closer.
All around rose hips have spoken –
scarlet heart shapes from
our gardens,
still left
untouched.
Feel it.
It is hiding,
there,
underground.

© Nat Hall 2014

With grateful thanks to the Shetland Times for such commission. 🙂

Happy Valentine’s Day tomorrow

From Shore to Shoormal at Wordplay 2013

 Peerie (short) visual momento “de taille” for a trans-Atlantic adventure at the Shetland Book Festival 2013. Poet & Publisher made this festival “international” 🙂 FESTIVAL PROMOTIONAL VIDEO 2013 Really treasuring that moment.

nordicblackbird flying off its own wings

baby/petite/peerie revolution – the blog has its own domain. Just bookmark it!

Thanks, merci, takk 🙂

fly (in memoriam, Megan Boyd)

Enchanted by the magic of Eric Steel‘s movie-documentary, KISS THE WATER, last Wednesday night at “Mareel”, my local Arts’ Centre in Lerwick, my pen took to paper, as soon as I reached home. I could not helped but delving again in the mystic of the river, the intricacy & dexterity of Megan Boyd‘s work, as well as the many smiles generated by her whimsical gift. This extraordinary lady lead her whole life on her own terms. To that interest, I found an eloquent obituary (2001) in the NY Times as a mark of deep respect.

So equally respectfully, I let you discover “fly”, as inspired by Eric Steel & his cast & crew who immortalised this woman’s work, but also life & legacy.

FLY

in memoriam, Megan Boyd

Under dark water,
mystery.

Ovals,
silver,
tinsel,
blue floss,

girl’s world wrapped up
around metal –

Black ostrich herl,
yellow seal’s
fur,

shapes, materials, lengths and
sizes, artist’s matter…

blue goose,
bustard,
brown turkey with
deep bronze
mallard,

learn to feel a Highland river –

its many miles of meanders
in the name of the fly,
feathers,
fathoms and
fish.

jungle cock,
golden pheasant crest…
(head, black)

inside her shed,
she tied the avian kingdom to
the sea.

© Nat Hall 2014