Christmas Anthology

It may be a bit soon to be mentioning the 'C' word while we are still in October, but members of the Association of Christian Writers have just brought out this anthology of stories, poems and reflections about the true meaning of Christmas. I am delighted to have a poem in the volume. 

Books to Read ~ (Narnia) 'The Lion's World'

Lamp post with tree reflections ... where is Mr Tumnus?

Lucy Pevensie found Narnia by pushing through the coats in the wardrobe in the professor's house, or so we are told in the narrative of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. As you can see from the photo below, our home patch here in Suffolk has had the appearance of Narnia for much of this past week.

The photo above was taken some time ago in the Cathedral Close at St Davids in Wales (near The Thirty-Nine Steps, but I don't want to mix my favourite stories!). I always imagined that this lamp post, with its reflected tree branches, must have been similar to the one known to Lucy and Mr Tumnus the faun.

I am greatly enjoying one of my Christmas presents, The Lion's World: A Journey into the Heart of Narnia by the new Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge and former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams.

I first read about the book in The New Statesman last August. John Gray, the lead reviewer for that publication, wrote a review entitled 'Beyond the Wardrobe Door', with the subtitle, 'An Archbishop interrogates Narnia'. I read it at the time on a train journey from London to Swansea, and knew immediately that I would like to read what Gray describes as 'this mind-opening little book.'

The Lion's World is beautifully produced by SPCK (with a cover flap that doubles as a bookmark). There is a back cover endorsement by St Andrews theologian, Professor Tom Wright, who says,

      'Those who have tried to debunk Lewis and his children's books will find Williams 
       more than a match for them ...'

I have not yet reached the end of The Lion's World, but I am already in agreement with the assertion inside the front flap that this book is not only 'a rewarding and ultimately joyful read', but also one that highlights the allegorical and 'powerful spiritual insights' on offer in The Chronicles of Narnia.

I confess to a lifelong deep love of the book, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. I have always found the film disappointing, partly because the Pevensie children are not quite as I imagine them. However, we have been re-watching the film (a good thing to do when snowbound!), and I have to admit that I have greatly enjoyed the remarkable winter scenery. BBC Winterwatch at Aigas may have come to an end with its stunning footage of real wild beavers, but who could resist their talking substitutes in Narnia?

As I say, I have yet to finish the book, so will refrain from commenting on my view of the depiction of Aslan in this new volume. However, countless others have left Narnia footprints ahead of me through the snow, and you might enjoy this fascinating and substantial post by Mark Meynell on the Quaerentia blog. Mark explores the significance of Narnia, and 'why it matters' to Francis Spufford, as outlined in Spufford's work, The Child that Books Built.

Before I close this post, I would like to refer back to one of my favourite blog post readings of 2010. The post was written in three parts by Rosie of Leavesnbloom. You can find Rosie's writing about the C.S. Lewis trail  ... here and here and here. 

"I did not say to myself,
'Let us represent Jesus as he really is
in our world by a lion in Narnia.'
 I said, 'Let us suppose
that there were a land like Narnia
and that the Son of God,
as he became a man in our world,
became a lion there,
and then imagine what would happen.' "

C.S. Lewis

Calendar Corner (11): Shrove Tuesday Pancakes

These are a couple I ate earlier ...

I hope some of you will have been enjoying your Shrove Tuesday pancakes. I came across this blog devoted to pancakes. I see the folk in Glendale, CA, got in early on 1 March, but most of us have been enjoying our pancakes today, before Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent tomorrow. I also note that the NY CityCoach team have been running a Pancake Haiku contest. My favourite pancake poem, however, must be 'The Solitary Spatuloon' by Jack Prelutsky. You can read it here (you will need to scroll down once you have clicked the link).

On a more serious Lenten note, Bishop James Jones has been advocating a scheme called the 'Carbon Fast'. He was promoting it on BBC 'Songs of Praise', and you can find out more here.

Creature Feature (16): Wildlife at Mwnt, Gwbert and Cardigan Island

Mwnt from the Cardigan Farm Park
You can just make out the white bell tower of the Church of the Holy Cross, halfway up on the right.

We enjoyed a visit to Mwnt on the Cardigan coast of Wales last weekend.
The weather was glorious and we saw some interesting wildlife.
This was the first sign (below) we saw as we left the NT car-park at Mwnt...

This is the church in its glorious setting...

We were just enjoying our cliff-top picnic when we spotted our first seal...

After lunch we drove the short distance on to Gwbert,
to do the coastal walk around the Cardigan Island Coastal Farm Park.

We were thrilled to see this Common Lizard,
who had ventured indoors.
It was 'rehabilitated' seconds after this photo was taken.

Out on the cliffs we spotted a few Oystercatchers...

and this female Stonechat...



We spotted a Skylark ...

having watched Pipits earlier at Mwnt...

Suddenly we spotted this 'tortoiseshell' bird.
It was my first Turnstone:
an exciting moment!
The bird is sporting its breeding plumage.

By now, we could see Cardigan Island very clearly
from our gorse-lined cliff path...

I tried out my mini-tripod for the first time,
to see if I could get a steady shot of the bluebells on the island,
and of the nesting gulls.
I'm afraid I was only moderately successful,
but it gives an idea of the beautiful blue swathes.

We spent ages with these gulls, waiting for more seals to surface,
but the tide was high
and there were a lot of motor boats about, making quite a racket,
despite the speed limit in these conservation waters.

The Herring Gull below was nesting on the rock between the mainland and the island.

I have often seen Burnet Moths on the cliffs at Mwnt.
We were too early this time, but I did spot the caterpillar below.
It unrolled itself and trundled off into the grass.
It was pretty fat!

There were scores of small blue butterflies from the Lycaenidae family,
but they were too fast for me to catch on film
and I did not like to disturb them.

However, this beautiful creature from the same family
was quite unperturbed
as I took its photograph
on the way back to the car...

Small Copper Butterfly

Postscript...

We kept our eyes on the water as much as we could in the hope that the Porpoises or Bottlenose Dolphins would appear. We did not spot any on this occasion, but I was pleased to read on the Whales in Wales blog that they were definitely around. I hope you were able to enjoy fine weather in your neck of the woods, and that you spotted some interesting flora and fauna, too.

• BBC website: Gwbert panorama
• A Coastcard Land&Lit post on the Mwnt | Bardsey Island literary associations
  

Magazine Moment (7): Wendy Webb's TIPS for Writers 76

Ladybirds near the entrance to
Epworth Old Rectory,
home of the Wesley family

My ladybird Haiku / 俳句 has been published in TIPS for Writers issue 76. It nestles in among a rainbow selection of poems, which include free verse and forms. There are other Haiku, such as those by Kay Weeks (in Maryland, USA) and Beth Buckley. There is a Tetractys by Tina Negus - not forgetting prize-winning Haiku poet, Claire Knight's delightful Echotain, Villanelle and Magi poems.

This edition celebrates James Knox Whittet's win in Wendy's Pamphlet Competition. His new collection, Carousel of Silences, will appear soon. Details available from Wendy. If you enjoy poetry news, views and tips, why not send her an email, asking to subscribe to eTIPS, which will then arrive in your inbox each month.

The mermaid bench end below is from the lovely church in Zennor in Cornwall. Wendy's book, A Mermaid's Tale, is now available. The mermaid cover painting is by Kay Weeks. You can read more about the publication here on Wendy's blog, or here on my Land&Lit page.

Calendar Corner (9): World Book Day

Today is World Book Day, and I thought it would be good to mention the books on my recent/current reading list. I have piles of books beside my different chairs in the house, so I have a number on the go at once.



Books on my desk:

• The Cinder Path by Andrew Motion (Faber). I bought this sparkling new collection with a birthday book token, and have been delighted with the range of subjects and styles. Two poems that come immediately to mind are 'Raven' (a sonnet) and 'The Grave of Rupert Brooke' (which is on the Greek island of Skyros. [POETRY]
  
• The Ring of Words: Tolkien and the Oxford English Dictionary by Gilliver, Marshall and Weiner (OUP). A fascinating read for those who want to distinguish their 'mathom' (or 'stash' in scrapbooking speak) from their 'mithril' (the name of a particular precious metal). [LANGUAGE]

Books on my bedside cabinet:

• A Century of Poetry Review edited by Fiona Sampson (Carcanet) - a treasure trove of pieces published in 'Poetry Review' over the last 100 years. [POETRY]
  
• Notes from Walnut Tree Farm by Roger Deakin (Penguin) - a rural diary. [NATURE MEMOIR]
  
• Getting into Poetry by Paul Hyland (Bloodaxe) - a useful guide to the poetry scene [POETRY]
  
• The Secret Mandarin by Sara Sheridan (Avon/Harper Collins) - I became really engrossed in this extraordinary 19th century story about an obsessive plant collector in China, accompanied by his actress sister-in-law. [FICTION]

Books on my coffee table:

• A Shepherd looks at the Twenty-Third Psalm by Philip Keller (Zondervan). I bought this aboard the Logos Hope when it was moored in Cardiff last year, on the recommendation of a relative who works in the field of agriculture. More than 1/5 million copies have sold since publication. [DEVOTIONAL]
  
• Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards. As a left-handed person who has just begun some classes in oil painting, this seemed the book for me! [PRACTICAL ART THEORY]

I wonder what you are dipping into at the moment. Happy reading!

Seasonal Spotlight (4): Christmas Greetings!

'And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night...'
Luke 2:8

Happy Christmas!
Nadolig Llawen!

Snowy hillside near Hay on Wye, Wales, UK

• The nation's favourite Christmas carol
• Vote for a favourite Christmas carol here
  

Window on Wales (2): South Wales Writers' Day 2009

We had a very blustery ride over to Porthcawl last Saturday for the annual South Wales Writers' Day, organised for those who care to come and, in particular, for the members of the four Ready Writer groups along the M4 (Porthcawl, Llantrisant, Blackwood and Swansea). The groups are associated to the Association of Christian Writers.

We had a Gower theme this year. You can read more about 'A Gander's Tale' on my Land&Lit pages here, and on the Ready Writers blog here. The book can be purchased or downloaded here.

We met in The Rest Hotel, a large building high up on the cliff above Rest Bay in Porthcawl. It used to be a respite care home. Florence Nightingale was consulted about the design way back in 1871, when there was talk of a new convalescent home for the area. You can read more about Florence Nightingale and the hotel here.

Inspiration Wednesday

Cadgwith / Cornish: Porthkaswydh)
near The Lizard in Cornwall / Kernow

(click here to see artist Iain Dilley's watercolour painting from my photograph.
You will need to scroll down a bit once you have clicked the link until you see 'Cadgwith Fleet')

The Weaver of Grass is hosting today's mini blog carnival on the theme of INSPIRATION WEDNESDAY as a tribute to those who have inspired us in some way through their life or art.

I am grateful to many who have been a positive influence in my journey which spans nearly half a century, and my chosen poem for today links me in my mind to a number of them.

Members of my family decided to evacuate to Cornwall during World War II, and enjoyed life in the county so much that they settled there permanently. Consequently some of my earliest holidays were spent near Bude on the north Cornish coast. However, as time went on - and largely thanks to the aforementioned poem - we fell in love with The Lizard peninsula, and with the small lobster fishing village of Cadgwith in particular.

I can now look back on numerous happy holidays; but before I mention a few specific memories, I must turn to the poem. Its title is simply Cadgwith, and you can read the eight line text by Lionel Pigot Johnson (1867-1902) here by scrolling down to number 46. You will also find the poem (number 691 on p.896 of my edition) in The Oxford Book of Victorian Verse.

During our Cornish holidays, we would look out through the sash windows on to a fuchsia hedge and a palm bush. My eye would then travel across a potato field to Cadgwith Cove. I remember standing at the landing window, aged about eleven, with an 'I-spy' book in hand, trying to identify the ships that sailed past.

Occasionally we would clamber into the car and drive down to Cadgwith to watch the full moon rippling across the water at midnight. We would look up at the stars beyond the huer's hut (top left in the photo), and think of Johnson's inspiring words. Forty-five years have passed since my first sighting of this remarkable place, but it has captured a corner of my heart. I have made many return visits and will never tire of this small haven of beauty.

Johnson is a self-effacing figure in today's poetry scene. He was well read, and enjoyed the literary company of Plato, Virgil, Augustine and Shakespeare. There is a memorial to him in the cloisters at Winchester College, his old school. Johnson published three books - two books of poetry and 'The Art of Thomas Hardy', another poet with Cornish associations. Johnson also wrote reviews, critical papers and a memoir.

I was browsing in a secondhand bookshop (a favourite holiday pastime) in Dunster near Minehead on one occasion when I came across a copy of 'A Cornish Chorus: a Collection of Prose and Verse' edited by Muriel Hawkey. I flicked through the pages and was delighted to find the title 'Cadgwith' under the Contents entry for Lionel Johnson. I turned to the appropriate page, only to discover that it referred to a second poem named after the fishing cove. I prefer the one mentioned first, but this second poem is not without its merits. This second poem concerns a 'rich autumnal day' rather than an 'autumn night'. It considers the role of humanity on earth and out at sea, in contrast to the first poem which moves between earth and heaven.



Our summer holidays around Cadgwith were filled with happy experiences and activities. I will restrict myself here, and attempt to list ten of these, 'in no particular order':

• times of fun, refreshment and relaxation with family and friends.
  
• the sound and wonder of the sea and the exhilaration of surfing.
  
• the beauty of the local churches. Grade Church is up the cliff from Cadgwith in the middle of a field, with fine brasses and no electricity.
  
• the joy of the wild flowers. Cornish Heath is very rare and grows on Goonhilly Downs at the northern end of The Lizard.
• the excitement each time we saw a Great Green Bush Cricket.
• the thrill of seeing a seal (we also saw a huge leather-backed turtle on one occasion).
• the colours in the serpentine rocks, especially when the pebbles were in rock pools.
• the fascinating names of the Cornish saints e.g. St Keverne, St Ruan.
• the local festivities e.g. Cadgwith Regatta, with its flour and soot race (perhaps not so ecologically friendly these days, but it was a lot of fun).
• the local delicacies - pasties, lemon sole, Saffron buns, Cornish splits (light bread rolls) and Cornish ice cream.

My thanks to Lionel Johnson for encapsulating thoughts of my faith, family, friends and 'holiday fun' in eight short lines.

Beautiful Books (1): Aboard the Logos Hope

Logos Hope,
The Operation Mobilisation (OM) ship,
incorporating the world's largest floating book fair,
Cardiff Bay, June 2009

It was an unusually balmy evening on Tuesday 2 June 2009 as we clambered up the gangplank of the Logos Hope in Cardiff Bay. The ship's mooring was barely a stone's throw from the Senedd, the Norwegian Sailors' Church and the Millennium Centre. Logos Hope belongs to the missionary organization, Operation Mobilisation (OM): it is a ship that will sail around many parts of the world. The warm weather had brought everybody on to the streets, and there was an atmosphere of excitement in the air: people were keen to come aboard to explore the ship and to enjoy a snack in the international café. We were joined by the Mayor of Cardiff. UK supporters had travelled from England and wide-ranging parts of Wales to be there.

The ship's motto is 'Bringing knowledge, Help and Hope', and during the course of our evening on board, we enjoyed a presentation about aspects of this unique ministry. One of the main thrusts of the work comprises the 'world's largest floating book fair', which carries an incredible 6000 titles. We had a most enjoyable browse. There were Bibles in many languages, commentaries (including an Archaeologist's Guide to the Bible!), familiar names like C.S. Lewis and Tolkien - and a huge selection of children's books, Christian and secular titles including hymn books, hobby books and cookery books. You could also buy CDs, diaries, notebooks, travel journals, polo shirts and all manner of items. It was a good opportunity to purchase some early Christmas presents.

The 400+ crew members, representing 50 nationalities, seek to promote 'education and international understanding through relief work, the floating book fair and cultural exchange programmes.' The Logos Hope had its 'Official Opening' in Denmark. Since then it has sailed to Cardiff from Edinburgh via Belfast. It will soon be departing for London and then for Saint Vincent in the Caribbean.

The ship is 'open' from 12.30 to 20.30 pm on Tuesdays to Fridays and from 10.00 to 22.00 pm on Saturdays. If you are in Cardiff Bay tomorrow (Saturday 6 June), do climb aboard to see this remarkable project for yourself. The ship will not be open on Sunday 7 June. It sails for London after the weekend.

Calendar Corner (1): Daffodils for St David's Day

Above: Daffodils at Middleton, The National Botanic Garden of Wales
Below: The Alfred Wallace Garden, Middleton

1 March is St David's Day here in Wales. The National Botanic Garden celebrated with daffodils, national costumes - and a live Service of Sunday Worship on BBC Radio 4. The theme was 'Journey into Seeing: Observing Lent through the Senses'. The preacher was Dr Anne Richards and Cor Caerfyrddin provided the music.

The Wallace Garden has always intrigued me. It looks a bit bare at this time of year, but I chose this photograph because, unlike my summer views with lots of flower and foliage, you can see the intertwining structure of the double helix DNA path.

• Previous posting on poets, Padel and Cluysenaar, with science-orientated collections.
• A poem in DNA?
  

Poetry Matters (3): Darwin: science 'versus' poetry

I have been planning for some days to write about Darwin and the developing debate along the lines of the intrinsic weightings of science as opposed to poetry. Thankfully I have been pipped to the post by Professor David Morley of the University of Warwick.

There has been much talk about the 250th anniversary of the publication of The Origins of the Species, but far less media coverage (or so it seems to me) concerning the 200th anniversary of Darwin's birth, 12 February 2009. The latter event has not been completely overshadowed, however: Americans at the University of Arizona marked the scientist's birthday with ... poetry.

Britain also had his celebrations: Ruth Padel, great great granddaughter of Charles Darwin, was taking part in a poetry and science event at Somerset House on 9 February. Her latest book, Darwin: a Life in Poems has just been published. I am grateful to my friend, Mary, for pointing out that Melvyn Bragg has been doing a major radio series on Darwin (In our Time, BBC Radio 4): take a look at the website.

• God and Evolution by R.J. Berry (a scientist's view from a Christian persepctive)
• Prince Charles on Darwin Trail (Galapagos)
  
• Blog for Darwin (site of the forthcoming Blog Carnival)
• Darwin 2009, Cambridge
• BBC Darwin Season
• Mathematical Poetry ... 7 steps forward
• Horniman Museum Photography Competition (Darwin related)
• British Science Association Events 2009: in many regions of Britain
• Mslexia 2009 Poetry Competition. Judge: Ruth Padel

Calling Fair-trade chocoholics ...

The deadline for the Divine chocolate/Christian Aid poetry competition is approaching fast ...

Blogspotting (2): Galumphing

Left: a lamp in the Cathedral Close at St Davids, Pembrokeshire, Wales, UK. The reflection makes me think of Narnia and Mr Tumnus.

Galumphing: the title alone is a curious one, and it comes from The Jabberwocky poem by Lewis Carroll. It is the 'other' Lewis (C.S. Lewis), however, who features most prominently in this blog, along with a few others such as Tolkien, Homer and Shakespeare!

The blog belongs to Jeremy W. Johnston, a teacher of English and Classical Studies (two of the three subjects I trained to teach as part of my Exeter PGCE back in the 1980s).

On the subject of Tolkien, you might like to take a look at the blog entry for 18 August, entitled The Annotated Hobbit. I was particularly drawn to the words of Horace on the subject of reading and re-reading. If I really like a book, I like to read and re-read it. Do you?

Johnston highlights an interesting point about the etymology of Bilbo's name. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and Lewis Carroll were all masters when it came to making up names for their characters. How often do we attempt to create new words? In my craft class last week, I tried to think of a term I could use to describe my new technique of turning a photograph into an abstract greeting card design. I am not quite there yet ...

Johnston mentions Homer, and I was reminded of how much I fell in love with the tale of Odysseus as a result of a child's version of The Odyssey. Perhaps that was why I went on to read Classical Studies for my degree. You might be interested to read an article by By George Elliott Clarke about the universality of the Homeric themes in the Chronicle Herald.

The Island of Spinalonga

Left: Thalatta, thalatta

I do not watch much television, but I have been enjoying Francesco da Mosto's voyage through the Mediterranean, aboard the beautiful Black Swan. David Bellamy's surprise appearance added a great sense of je ne sais quoi to the programme on Corfu, and helped to bring us closer to the spirit of that other naturalist and conservationist, Gerald Durrell.

I am, however, particularly looking forward to the episode of Francesco's Mediterranean Voyage on BBC2 tomorrow night at 8pm, in which the intrepid Venetian visits the little island of Spinalonga, once a colony for those with leprosy.

I am about a third of the way through The Island by Victoria Hislop, and have formed 'my' picture of Spinalonga (from her narrative); so it will be interesting to see whether the 'real' island matches the one in my mind. As someone who writes poetry, I am always fascinated by the reception of art. The viewer or the reader brings so much to the painting or the poem.

I have enormous respect for the work of The Leprosy Mission. It is amazing to think that leprosy can be cured with modern medication. It is awful, though, to think that there are still many with the disease who lose sensation - and the vital warning signal of pain - in their lower limbs, and consequently develop ulcerous and infected wounds from accidents. The Leprosy Mission has developed special footwear to help these patients.

• Francesco's Mediterranean Voyage BBC Listing Wednesday 6 August, 8pm.
• The Guardian: The Island by Victoria Hislop
• TLM Trading (The Leprosy Mission online shop)
  
• Spinalonga.com

Postscript: I have just come across the ILEP site ('working for a world without leprosy'), which is well worth visiting. It comprises 14 non-governmental 'donor agencies', including TLM.