Aluine’s Gardens by C. Murray
The Reek
Before the house
behind the sea,
a garden.
Before the mountain
behind the house,
a circuit of trees.
Before the small house
behind the grey sea,
A strip of lawn enclosed with box.
Before the tall mountain
behind those six white walls of house,
rows of young alders a circuit make.
Before the house of tree steps up
behind the rocky strand down to the sea,
a wild field conceals her garden’s bloom.
Before that shadow the reek casts onto green fields
behind the grass rolling and tumbling to rocky beach,
the lawn encloses varieties of bees.
Before Croagh Patrick,
the Reek,
a mazed world wherein shadows flit.
Before the house where the grasses tumble to rocky shore,
behind the sound where gather the gulls,
a small ingress, a light step to rose’s bloom, lawn of green.
Before the cloud-shrouded reek
behind the house with fish in the windows,
there is a forest of trees, a flitting child.
Before the small house where wind’s flute and basoon
mocks the squake of gulls,
a strip of lawn to where butterflies play.
Before the sheltering reek
and behind this small house of gardens,
a simple circuit of trees.
Birds sing there.
By C Murray
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Poet’s Notes:
Aluine lives by the sea in Mayo, Ireland. Her house is sited between the ocean and The Reek (which is the local name for Croagh Patrick). The front of the house has a wild rolling field which ends at a grey stone beach, about half-way to the house there is a reclaimed spot with a bench to look at the sea. There is a tiny garden cultivated with summer flowers in front of the house. She has planted young trees into fairy rows at the rear of the house, her windows are painted with fuchias. It is a wild and lonely place.
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Follow poet C. Murray on Twitter – let her know what you liked about her poem. http://www.twitter.com/celizmurray
Visit C. Murray’s blog, Poethead and leave a comment. http://poethead.wordpress.com
Category: Irish Women Writers, Poetry by Women Poets, Women Writing Poetry
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Sites That Link to this Post
- ‘Aluine’s Gardens’ by C. Murray « poethead | June 9, 2012
- ‘Aluine’s Gardens’, and some recent publications by C Murray « poethead | September 17, 2011
A beautiful nod to the memory of what was, the before and after of our lives. And the birds sing. Always the birds sing. You continue to weave your magic, Chris, and I continue to benefit from it.
C Murray – Thank you so much for sharing this poem with us. There’s something very lovely about the simple repetition of before… and behind… over and over. Soothing. Clean. Clear. Starting with few words each line, then building in depth of description. And thanks for submitting our very first poem! We’ll have to do more. – Anora