mountain spirit

I spent the weekend in Snowdonia leading another group through the Ascent program.

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Mountain Spirit

I move in the presence

Of Mount Snowdon Feeling

The weight of its ancient pull

A challenge, a summons, filters

Through the mountain breeze

The gate of your destiny is open

I hear the mountain spirit say

But will I walk through it?

Is what echoes in my mind

By the lake shore, I stand

To ponder the significance

Of these subtle words

The answers I think I know

Lie hidden in these ancient rocks

It is the questions that defy formulation

The Path, my path, familiar

Yet strange, my spirit knows

The Way in a way my mind does not

The Path, I’m told, leads

Everywhere and nowhere

The view from the top the same

The lesson is in the journey

Only more questions

Await at the top

To step on the Path

Or not to step

Is the question that drives me

- c.lowe

Edge Hill

The Walking Wordsmiths were at it again a couple of weekends ago. We were joined by a few junior wordsmiths. Brittany, my daughter, aged 9, contributed this poem:


Me, Clay, Ruth, Sean, Kath, Devon, Tom and Evie
All set off with no TV
It was a beautiful sunny day
"Which way?" asked Clay

We came across a field of sheep
The dirt so moist, the grass so deep
Me and Evie approached the lambs and stuck out our arm
Then a big sheep set off an alarm

It followed us around the place
Going ba ba ba in our face
Me and Evie screamed and ran
All the sheep surrounded us
Right now we wished we had a bus

We all ran to the fence at the end of the field
Even the lambs joined in the band
Opened it really quick
Tired, sweaty, breathless and feeling sick



In this field of course
We came across a boisterous horse
But safe we were cause the horse
Was on the other side of the field

Clambered up the hill
Picked some sheep wool, put them in our bags to fill
At the top of the hill
We all stood still

Thousands of shabby sheep
grazing in the grass so deep
galloped away behind the fence
I wish I had a fifty pence



Approached a naked wood
Devon said, "This is good."
Sean came up with this troll thing
So all the kids went to see found nothing there except a bare tree
But lied to them, we saw one and said
It looked like Clay

Walked and walked till we got to the cars
We all had yummy chocolate bars
Finally we arrived at what we call...
HOME!

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On 8 September 2007 thousands of women and men will gather together for one challenge, to walk 44km through the streets of London, with the chance to make a difference in the fight against breast cancer. We have signed up for the challenge of walking for Breakthrough Breast Cancer and committed to fundraising at least £2,000.

We would appreciate your support as we take part in this challenge, 44km for the 44, 000 women that are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in the UK. You can help support us by making a secure online donation using your credit card. Click on the link below:

Support the Walking Wordsmiths

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

breakthrough walk london

My fellow poets and I have created a group called the Walking Wordsmiths. We are participating in the Aviva Walk London to Breakthrough Breast Cancer.On 8 September 2007 thousands of women and men will gather together for one challenge, to walk 44km through the streets of London, with the chance to make a difference in the fight against breast cancer. We have signed up for the challenge of walking for Breakthrough Breast Cancer and committed to fundraising at least £2,000.

We would appreciate your support as we take part in this challenge, 44km for the 44, 000 women that are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in the UK. You can help support us by making a secure online donation using your credit card. Click on the link below:

Support the Walking Wordsmiths

For more information on how you can participate in the Aviva Walk London to Breakthrough Breast Cancer, please visit their site at:

www.breakthroughwalklondon.org.uk

Peace,

Clay

Welcome

Welcome to the Walking Wordsmiths Blog.