cader idris

The Walking Wordsmiths were in motion on Saturday walking Cader Idris. Legend has it that the mountain is haunted, and that anyone who spends the night on top of Cader Idris will wake up either a madman or a poet. Personally I didn't think there was a difference between the two.

Here are some photos:

You can view all of photos here: Cader Idris Photos

Part of what we do as walking wordsmiths is write poems about the places we visit.

Here's my poem to the mountain:

Cadair Idris
no gods of thunder to plague the day
whispered white clouds
blue skies drift away

a waterfall roars near
my heart pounds like a shaman’s drum
banging on my chest
bursting in my ear

a short climb to the valley’s floor
llyn cau standing still
like the remnants
of a dinosaurs’ paw
filled with lime water
centuries before

i didn’t think my heart
could pound much more
until i climbed the
footsteps of penygadair
to reach the thinner air

the summit finally won
i catch my breath and gaze
to my left and to my right
to see a sea of mountains
must be time for a cup of tea

i lay my head upon a rock
and dream of endless mountain days
a raven pair
flying, and dancing, and cawing
in the spring air

time now to descend
and say good bye
get my feet back on solid ground
but keep my head and my heart
up here in the sky

c.lowe c2007