I can’t believe it’s Tuesday again! Another week, another poem, and this week, it is an oldie, but a goodie. Frances Cornford (1886-1960) was the daughter of botanist Francis Darwin and granddaughter of naturalist Charles Darwin, born into the Darwin-Wedgwood family. Frances wrote several books of verse - Spring Morning, Different Days, Poems, Autumn Midnight - which are illustrated with stunning woodcuts by her cousin, Gwen Raverat (talented bunch, that lot!). The Coast – Norfolk has always been one of those poems that holds a beautiful stillness, a concentration in a single act – the sweeping strokes of the scythe – that I admire immeasurably. Enjoy!
The Coast – Norfolk
As on the highway’s quiet edge
He mows the grass beside the hedge,
The old man has for company
The distant, grey, salt-smelling sea,
A poppied field, a cow and calf,
The finches on the telegraph.
Across his faded back a hone,
He slowly, slowly scythes alone
In silence of the wind-soft air,
With ladies’ bedstraw everywhere,
With whitened corn, and tarry poles,
And far-off gulls like risen souls.
This week’s hub poem has been chosen by Mary McCallum – and it is part of the collection Briefcase, by John Adams, which was winner of the Best First Book of Poetry Award. It’s a wonderful entanglement of language, so do check it out, as well as the other TP editors picks along the sidebar – there’s a huge range this week, from poems investigating space discovery, conflict, piracy, sorceresses, seabirds and more!
July 17, 2012 at 9:12 pm
This is a wee darling of a poem isn’t it, so gentle and so beautifully observed. I love ‘far-off gulls like risen souls’
Thanks for introducing us to Ms Cornford, Elizabeth
July 18, 2012 at 8:22 pm
It is such a wee gem, isn’t it, Helen? So perfectly poised and constructed. And, yes, that final line really ‘makes’ the poem, doesn’t it? The cry of the gulls is in such stark contrast to the soft whish of the scythes. Lovely to have you pop by, Helen
July 18, 2012 at 6:30 am
oh i really like this – thanks
July 18, 2012 at 8:22 pm
No worries, Jen! Very nice to have you stop by and have a read of Frances
July 18, 2012 at 12:23 pm
This is so lovely – especially the beautiful final line that Helen highlights above – and it also introduces me to what I suppose is the original meaning of the word ‘hone’, which seems obvious in retrospect but which I’d never seen before. Thanks for posting this!
July 18, 2012 at 8:25 pm
Hi, Tim! Yes, I had never thought through the original meaning of ‘hone’ either, until I came across this particular poem a couple of years ago, and it was one of those ‘oh, of course!’ moments. It is so beautiful in its original meaning & placed in this poem as it is. Thanks for reading, Tim – always a pleasure