Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 11:22 am
Thanks for the entertaining reply, Lugh!
I read somewhere that Columba heard angels singing in the oakland ('doire') - hence the name of the city. Thought it was a nice idea, so that's why it's included. However, he buggered off to Scotland after that, which is why I've got the angels showing no further interest in the saint, but being more interested in their river.
Here's a slightly revised version. Only difference is a couple of added lines to suggest more strongly that the escape at the start of the poem turns into a homecoming by the end.
UP RIVER
heading inland, up river
beyond the flood
leaving...
leaving
smoke blackened calumny
rank ogres tower blocks
round the clock fights
all night killing lost time
spending life spent and left
in the mire of this city
heading inland
up river to mist hills blue forests
where once the saint spoke with angels
fleet angels flow river fast flow past the angels
leaving the saint far behind
leave An Feabhail and head for mountains
where blue greens the silvery source
seek the stream that takes you beneath
watch as waves catch you
turn you into a slippery thing
that slides between water white water
slip through churning foam slipslipslip
sink deep sink down become fish become eel stream thing
swim laugh breathe swimswimswim...
heading inland, up river
into the flood
I read somewhere that Columba heard angels singing in the oakland ('doire') - hence the name of the city. Thought it was a nice idea, so that's why it's included. However, he buggered off to Scotland after that, which is why I've got the angels showing no further interest in the saint, but being more interested in their river.
Here's a slightly revised version. Only difference is a couple of added lines to suggest more strongly that the escape at the start of the poem turns into a homecoming by the end.
UP RIVER
heading inland, up river
beyond the flood
leaving...
leaving
smoke blackened calumny
rank ogres tower blocks
round the clock fights
all night killing lost time
spending life spent and left
in the mire of this city
heading inland
up river to mist hills blue forests
where once the saint spoke with angels
fleet angels flow river fast flow past the angels
leaving the saint far behind
leave An Feabhail and head for mountains
where blue greens the silvery source
seek the stream that takes you beneath
watch as waves catch you
turn you into a slippery thing
that slides between water white water
slip through churning foam slipslipslip
sink deep sink down become fish become eel stream thing
swim laugh breathe swimswimswim...
heading inland, up river
into the flood