Dunster, Marking Time

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber

I have written many ‘place’ poems; places I have visited and with which I have fallen in love. Always hopeless at taking photographs, I try to absorb my surroundings and later compose a poem to reflect them.

Now, I love Somerset so was delighted when reader ‘Kathy’ in New Zealand got in touch recently to say how thrilled she was to come across my poem Dunster, Marking Time on the blog as she was born there. It appears her family migrated to New Zealand in the 1970s. Since I have not posted the poem since 2008 it is good to know that some readers enjoy browsing the archives.

The poem first appeared on the BBC Somerset site which is worth exploring and will also take you to my poem on another picturesque village, Watchet, closely associated with Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s famous poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/somerset/content/articles/2008/06/04/dunster_poem_feature.shtml

For good measure, I am also posting Classic Somerset inspired by R. D. Blackmore’s classic novel Lorna Doone; the poem appears in my latest collection Tracking the Torchbearer.

As well as being a very beautiful part of the UK, Somerset is also steeped in history and some of you may care to look it up on Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somerset

DUNSTER, MARKING TIME

Come clouds of steam or sea mist,

its castle ghosts watch over

Dunster village, shore and forest

Yarn market shell among the best,

(hear buyers and sellers barter)

come clouds of steam or sea mist

Where Benedictines have blessed

history’s customary makeover;

Dunster, village, shore and forest

At a water mill its days have kissed,

engage with past and future,

come clouds of steam or sea mist

Where packhorses once crossed

and nuns offered up a prayer;

Dunster village, shore and forest

Where Doomesday stories persist,

along the Avill river…

come clouds of steam or sea mist,

Dunster village, shore and forest

[Dunster, Somerset, May 2008]

[From: On the Battlefields of Love by R. N. Taber, Assembly Books, 2010]

 Photo: 17th century Yarn Market, Dunster

 CLASSIC SOMERSET

Doone valley, classic fiction

for holiday images

conjuring true inspiration

Come any with a predilection

for turning nature’s pages;

Doone valley, classic fiction

At Badgworthy Water, listen

out for Carver’s rages

conjuring true inspiration

At Earth Mother’s invitation,

share a Love of Ages;

Doone valley, classic fiction

Celebration of Lorna and John

(birds singing their praises)

conjuring true inspiration

Cream teas teasing imagination

to revisit R. D’s pages;

Doone valley, classic fiction

conjuring true inspiration

[From: Tracking the Torchbearer by R. N. Taber, Assembly Books, 2012]

  Photo: This bridge marks the boundary between Somerset and Devon in Doone Valley.

 [Please Note: My poetry collections are only on sale in the UK but anyone can order (signed) copies from me at a generous blogger discount. For details, contact rogertab@aol.com with ‘Blog reader’ or Poetry collection’ in the subject field.]

Classic Somerset

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber

I remain very positive about my prostate cancer, but can’t deny it gets a little scary sometimes. Right now, writing up the blog, I feel fine. (Yes, I do, really!) I expect to have good days and bad days, but remain determined that the latter shall be kept to a minimum. Physically, I am in good shape and have no pain whatsoever. The battle is more of a mental one; living with the knowledge that the cancer is there inside me. I will take my cue from Monty Python and, yes, look on the bright side of life... Should I falter, a long, leisurely stroll on lovely Hampstead Heath, barely fifteen minutes walk from my front door, invariably restores me to positive-thinking mode.

Meanwhile...

While I am pleased that my new novel seems to be holding its own, I have no illusions about myself as a writer of fiction. I am not a great novelist and never will be, but I’m glad some people think I tell a good story. I certainly can’t compare myself with  writers of the world's classic fiction. All my novels, published and unpublished are available in serial form on my fiction blog. For more details, go to:

http://rogertaberfiction.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/news-updates-fiction.html

Now, one of my favourite novels as a child was Lorna Doone by R. D. Blackmore and it was from was this romantic adventure novel that I developed a love for Somerset. It is some years since I visited Doone Valley, but some friends have recently returned from visiting it while staying with relatives in the surrounding area. I felt inspired to take down the novel from my bookshelf, blow away the dust from its cover and devour it as eagerly as when I was a child.

Some readers may be interested in other poems I have written about Somerset that I also included in my 6th collection On the Battlefields of Love (2010). You will also find them on the BBC Somerset site:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/somerset/hi/people_and_places/arts_and_culture/newsid_8144000/8144465.stm

Oh, but how can I worry about my prostate cancer when spring is here in the UK? There is so much out there to enjoy, not least in beautiful Somerset, and enjoy it I will...

This poem is a villanelle.

CLASSIC SOMERSET

Doone valley, classic fiction

creating timeless images;

one writer-poet’s inspiration

For those with a predilection

for turning nature’s pages;

Doone valley, classic fiction

At Badgworthy Water, listen

out for evil Carver’s rages;

one writer-poet’s inspiration

At Earth Mother’s invitation,

share a Love of Ages;

Doone valley, classic fiction

Celebrating Lorna and John,

(birds sing their praises);

one writer-poet’s inspiration

Cream teas, timely invitations

to revisit R. D’s pages;

Doone valley, classic fiction,
one writer-poet’s inspiration

Copyright R. N. Taber 2011; slightly rev. 2021

[Note; An earlier version of this poem appears in Tracking the Torchbearer by R. N. Taber, Assembly Books, 2012.]