Pembrokeshire — two seasons

Gold cherry

By Rhiannonw

Thu, 28 Sep 2023
  • 1591 reads
20 comments
 

Windswept coast county,
trees lie low
shaped by onshore gales
rain lashes;
but then the sun breaks through
how vast the dome of blue and brightness,
dew glistens.
In spring the cliff-top carpets bloom
abundantly – pink thrift, blue stars of squill;
and sea birds swirl around
steep cliff niches
where seafood-store meets land.
In autumn still some unexpected splashes of colour
in sheltered spots,
but now the treat is to look down
on seal cubs asleep on pebbly coves
resting til well-fed mum returns to suckle.

Certificate U
Poem
Coastal Path
Nature

Comments

Submitted by Turlough on

Your poem reminds me of the place I wrote my poem about. You said something similar. It was bound to happen.

Lovely places, both. 

And a lovely poem Rhiannon.

Turlough

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you. But your poem also dealt with the people, and your connections with it and them, and the folklore or the region. Yes, these wild places at the coast are lovely in the west of Wales, Scotland, Dorset/Cornwall, and Ireland. I know very little of Ireland, though my father went on a last holiday to the wilds there, and seemed so glad to do so. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Turlough on

I went with my kids a fair few times to that Pembroke / Cardigan sort of region. It was easy to get there when we lived in Wiltshire. It was fabulous and those trips always spawned great memories.

My partner's originally from Brittany. She said it's a similar place. Even the language is similar which wouldn't make any difference to us as neither of us know more than a couple of dozen words of Irish or Breton. 

But the wild winds, the crashing waves, the cliffs, the gulls and the Celt in us make all these western places so special.

 

Turlough

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

We always felt a close affinity to Brittany, as the language is very like Welsh, the Scots and Irish Gaelic being similar to each other but rather diffeent to Welsh and Breton. When we went to Brittany for a holiday my father bought a book about the language. What intrigued me was that for 18 in Welsh we sometimes say a word with is actually 'two-nines' (deunaw) and the Breton language had a word for 18 which was really 'three-sixes'  (triwec’h)! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Turlough on

Languages fascinate me these days. It's a pity they didn't when I was at school. I'd love to be able to understand those Celtic languages but these days I need to put all my effort into learning Bulgarian. 

Turlough

Submitted by marandina on

"...but now the treat is to look down
on seal cubs asleep on pebbly coves..."

Wonderful images and lovely photos. As you know, I was in Pembrokeshire myself only recently. Your poem does the location justice, Rhiannon. Paul

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you. We've holidayed much on the coast until recently, and it was good to get back. Mostly in the north, this was a little further south. My childhood holidays were in a cottage in north Pembrokeshire. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Cherries enjoyed, thank you! Glad the piece was enjoyed. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Starfish Girl on

Hi Rhiannon

A very descriptive poem of a beautiful place.

Lindy

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you, Lindy. You sound as if you know it well! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi Rhiannon,

how wildly beautiful, and what a truely incredible sight to see the seal cubs. This is nature at its best and a lovely poem to go with those gorgeous photos.

Thank you for sharing.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you, Jenny. Glad you enjoyed. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

You're so lucky to live somewhere you can see seal cubs Rhiannon - thank you for sharing them with us in words and pictures

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Oh, we're not very near to Pembrokeshire, but accessible for holidays! Previously we used to love going in the spring, but we hadn't realised that the autumn brings this chance of seeing the seals. The pups were so far below, and my camera started playing up, but my husband got some good shots, but they still looked like blobs asleep! but I got the ones of the seals themselves, one  in the water and one on land that onet surprised us by a big bark from nearby behind us! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

Rhiannon's glorious poem evoking the wonders of Pembroke's coast is Pick of the Day! Please do share if you can

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you! A golden cherry for a wonderful place! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

Congratulations Rhiannon - a very well deserved pick!

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by lenchenelf on

Such a lovely snapshot, we fetched up in Anglesey a few weeks back and the weather made scenery dance from foreboding to welcoming laughter, you've caught that here.

best

L x

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

thank you. I don't know Anglesay very well, though we've enjoyed the Llŷn penisula a lot — another rocky coastline! Rhiannon