From the harbour, up a short flight of steps
past lime kilns and flowering gorse,
take the bridleway alongside a wooded church
then the wetland boardwalk towards the north coast,
clergy and mermaids, yellowhammer, shearwater,
kittiwake, tussocks of fescue, windy.
Follow the path around the peninsular,
head downhill, cromlech and warren,
shortcut through the quarry (disused),
a lowland track, cross an embankment, rugged stile,
cattle-grid meadow, livestock, woollen thicket.
A gush of flight –
colonies of guillemots steep-nested on distant
headland-cliffs set out towards heath and moor,
cut diagonally across the settlement,
the burrows, a ribbed, wicker fence.
Stop, pay homage at the well,
turn west, Porth Alun, port and quay.
Pick your way across the rocky beach,
crag and archway, chough, porpoises, puffins.
Take heart – a boat will arrive to carry you
across the channel.
~ ~ ~
If I could get myself
and would I listen?
into the corner of a small room
ready for a good talking to
instructions, moderations
to make it better
would it make any difference?
I think so
even now this wet clay
is ready to break