During a few glorious October days on Iona, (St Columba’s island) on a writing retreat with the Scottish poet, Kenneth Steven there was time to complete a short poem which had its genesis in Othona (St Cedd’s seventh century base on the Essex coast). The theme had obvious resonance as we strolled on the beautiful sun-drenched north shore of the island. What gifts of time, peace and weather!
Shells
A million, or is it a billion
sea shells crackle beneath our boots
as we walk one bare kilometre of Saxon
shore.
Each step we take,
every shell we break
once housed a life on the ocean floor.
The shapes are exquisite,
the colours astound;
deep blue, graded russets,
orange, ochre and brown
are just part of a palette
mixed in the sea,
then discarded as jetsam;
which invites you and me
to pause in our striding,
and wonder just why
these small lives were adorned
to delight human eyes.
Another similar reflection can be found at Evolution and Beauty AND at Treasure Hunt (Amber)
