Castell Coch (Red Castle)
By marandina
- 1903 reads
Castell Coch (Red Castle)
The sun shifted on its summer throne
as our guide gathered us like sheep,
onwards through park, path and trails,
pink-infused meadows; humming bees.
Traversing fans of fern, banks of thistle
to where walls worn by time appeared,
weather-beaten ruins, crumbling brick,
stones stolen by the thieves of always.
We listened to stirring tales of battle,
ghost stories of a woman in white,
the past now becoming the present
inside arches built by heraldic toil.
Closed eyes cast spells imagined,
archers firing arrows, repelling foe,
songs of the ages sung by spirits,
waterless moat reclaimed by flora.
Intoned epochs of generations ago,
monochrome stills of life and death,
unfolding re-wilding in fields of gold,
where nature once again holds sway.
Archaic manor house sett for badgers
where paws tread near silent hearths,
shadows, night shrieks, bats in flight,
this discreet bastion for local wildlife.
As we turned to leave the ancient site,
for every revelation, a secret remained,
with all the expert theories, conjecture,
the reason why red, a mystery endures.
*Pic is my own
Notes:
This poem is based on a history walk I went on at Bluestone National Park in Pembrokeshire. The guide was a noted historian - Simon Hancock - who gave a wonderful tour of the castle. For all of the history imparted, it was the fact that the 12th century ruins are called the Red Castle and yet it remains unknown as to the specific reason why even now that made it so interesting.
https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/300006087-castell-coch-martletwy
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Comments
I wonder if it is a corruption of another word,
that often happens over time. A candidate might be Cloch, which means bell, I believe. However, historians and archaelogists will have pored over such possibilities for years.
I only point it out, because - as you may very well know - the Red Sea is actually the Reed Sea, and Moses probably led the gang across during a period of drought when they were wandering about trying to find The Promised Land.
An interesting subject for another poem, perhaps, investigating the name. A chieftain/king perhaps, Owain Goch.
Anyway, enough drivel. Nice poem, I'll be interested to see what RhiannonW thinks of it.
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Hi, both!
Hi, both!
I clicked on to read this, Paul, thinking it was Castell Coch near Cardiff. My mother lived across the valley, and as we drove up to her village, our children would look to see who would be the first to spot 'Castell Coch' as we went over the little ridge. Castell Coch was a Folly-rebuild of an old castle done in the 19th century I think, and peeping out of woodland across the valley like a German folk castle, but a wonderful little castle to explore for the children, as were the surrounding woods.
As for the crossing of the Red Sea. As the Red Sea is a part of the ocean, it wouldn't have a 'dry season' would it? I guess the only reason to doubt that the crossing occurred miraculously as recounted in detail in the book of Exodus in the Bible, and often referred to in other parts, and the drowning of the Egyptians seeking to re-enslave the people, is if you can't accept that there is any supernatural, anything/Anyone beyond our ken, greater in being than us.
I had not heard of this Castell Coch, Paul, but your poem is evocative of roaming such ruins, with their past largely unknown. I have always assumed ours was so called because I think the stones are slighly red. The surrounding earth is reddish, and the rock sandstone. I think this one may be also so, but as Ewan says, names can be distortions. (Barmouth is a distortion of the Welsh name for the town 'Abermaw' - the first part of the name being 'Aber' meaning 'river mouth' and the 'Maw' being the name of the river meeting the sea there, the 'Mawddach'! Rhiannon
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Hi Paul,
Hi Paul,
you describe what you are seeing with so much detail in your poem. It's always great when you have an interesting guide to share the history of where you are. I loved the third stanza, could just imagine the lady in white wandering within that great photo.
And that fourth stanza: Closing eyes casting spells Imagined archers firing arrows - then songs of the ages sung by spirits. Conjuring a time of mystery and intrigue.
It sounds like a place that would capture my imagination as it has yours Paul.
Thank you so much for sharing this beauty of a poem. It was such a pleasure to read.
Jenny.
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Congratulations! This is Today's Pick of the Day July 12th 2023
Strong narrative and imagery in this fine poem takes us along on the guided tour of the eponymous castle, that's why it's today's Pick of the Day.
Please spread the word on whatever is your social medium of choice, dear ABC-ers.
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I really enjoyed this
I really enjoyed this Marandina and am very glad it was given golden cherries as I totally missed it before! There's nothing quite as good as a proper history tour from someone who manages to be both knowledgeable and an interesting speaker - the two don't always happen together - well done, and congratulations!
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Enjoyed this very much, too.
Enjoyed this very much, too. I loved how you set up the sense of exciting history from the first line "The sun shifted on its summer throne" and there are lots of other wonderful images, eg "thieves of always" "past now becoming the present/inside arches" and "unfolding re-wilding in fields of gold,/where nature once again holds sway" made me think of breezes making waves in long grasses and wildflowers. "paws tread near silent hearths" is a great way to describe the new inhabitants. I really like how you evoke an interesting and rich past of human creation, and present of nature's works. Very well deserved POD!
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Enjoyed your poem. I'm no
Enjoyed your poem. I'm no archeologist, but I've often heard the theory of Red Castle is becasue running out of grey paint castle is too much of a mouthful, in Welsh or Scot's.
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Wonderful, Paul.
Wonderful, Paul.
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Excellent writing Paul. Very
Excellent writing Paul. Very enjoyable to read.
Turlough
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A rich and strong image
A rich and strong image creating poem about this castle (and would describe other ruins and castles too!)! You take us back into history and conjecture. We missed this one when we went to Pembrokeshire a couple of times in recent years, although we did have a memorable visit to Pembroke Castle. (Alfred Muggins wonders whether the Red might have anything to do with squirrels?)
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