from BARDO

The stars are in our belly; the Milky Way our umbilicus.

Is it a consolation that the stuff of which we’re made

is star-stuff too?


– That wherever you go you can never fully disappear –

dispersal only: carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen.


Tree, rain, coal, glow-worm, horse, gnat, rock.


Roselle Angwin

Saturday, 24 December 2011

the return of the light



I have been trying to find a suitably profound, original or unusual thought to post for this western festival of the returning light (here in our largely Christian culture symbolised by the Christ), but there is too much to say, and too little.

My memory though has kept returning, the last few days, to a little phrase of Plato's I believe that I posted earlier in the year, and it seems as good a reminder as any, to me, for me, this Christmas, of 'right relationship':

Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.


And just for the craic, the above is a photo that I'm sure I've already posted too, and I'm posting again because I like it, because it's a personal reminder of good and magical times, because of its resonance as a threshold place, and because even when it's crowded with tourists Dyn Tagell – Tintagel Castle – still partakes of something of the liminal, poised as it is between earth, sea and sky, like us all.

So to you all, I wish you blessings of the many worlds at this gateway time.

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3 comments:

  1. Christopher Marcus24 December 2011 at 11:43

    A heartfelt "likewise" to you from cold Scandinavia, but on a day when the sun actually has come forth ... as if to say 'you haven't forgotten about me, have you?' :-)

    Incidentally I found this fantastic video on DotEarth, of the recent visit of a comet - very close to our sun. A wondrous sight ...

    http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/23/after-skirting-the-sun-comet-lovejoy-provides-a-cosmic-show/

    Best wishes for the new year, and thanks for the wonderful blog-reading so far. I wish I had more time to chip in once in a while, but know that your thoughts and poems are sorely appreciated on this side of the 'pond'.

    Chris

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  2. roselle24 December 2011 at 12:09

    Chris - THANK YOU. And I'll follow that link. You have 'chipped in' abundantly and it's been appreciated. Glad you have sun, and presumably snow - we have the Devon default of mild dampness...

    All good wishes to you.

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  3. Mad Englishwoman27 December 2011 at 11:47

    Yes, I remember that quote of yours particularly. Thank you for it.

    And talking of comets (what a coincidence), you might like to have a look at the opening of the novel which I started on your Creative Novel Writing course in 2003 and which I've just posted on my blog . . .

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