(Poelker) Sligo, Close
A short walk from the grave
of poet WB Yeats, outside the city of Sligo, there is a tower built by refugees
from the Viking invasion. I had to stop for a moment to remind myself how damn
cool that is (Vikings!). The round tower was built between 900 and 1200, and
stands about 20 meters high, though it used to be much higher as some of it has
fallen down since the original construction. A barred window faces the road.
Some primitive Irish skirmisher once stuck his head out of the hole to get some
fresh air and see his enemies coming. I had to take a second to remind myself
how ancient and fascinating the building is. It’s not that much to look at, but
the thought of it brings me closer to the pre-Christian past and the mythology
that Yeats’s poetry so often pondered.
I bought a cup of coffee
and a postcard which I’ve yet to send from the nearby gift shop then paced
around the parking lot for a while. I climbed onto the bus and made my way to
the back row, middle seat. From that vantage point I could see in addition to
the inner contents of the entire bus, out of the front windshield in whichever
direction the bus was pointing. As Jim, the bus-driver/ mascot/hero of the
trip, negotiated the narrow, slick curves of the Irish country roads I cringed
each time a car passed. Disoriented by driving on the left, I was sure there’d
be a collision.
Our pre-determined destination
for that afternoon was the location of several ancient graves. The tombs, which
look like piles of rocks, house the ancient communal burial sites of farming
communities long ago. After poking around the rock-piles for a little, a sat
down to rest and clear my mind, having not slept well the night before.
Something about the crisp air in my lungs and the firm, moist ground under my
feet brought a sense of wonder as I gazed across a valley. The mountains on the
other side seemed right in front of me, a trick played by the light and the
haze in the atmosphere. Clouds blended with fog, hills merged with other hills,
and in a way I mixed with the past.
Pre-Xtian? Since it guarded a Monastery that was once located where the church is now, you might look at that part of its history as well. The paragraph about t=buying coffee and a post card could be cut. It doesn't really enhance the piece.
ReplyDeleteI liked the meditative tone of the piece and the mystical sense it gives to the land. You mentioned Yeats and his poetry about the mythology. Could you include some quotes?
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your explanation of the tower's origin. I wasn't aware of its history and only found it amusing that an archaic structure was standing directly beside a modern road. Some expansion on the history behind the tombs and further description of the valley you gazed across could be helpful and the second paragraph needs some work. The title "Sligo Close" made me expect to read about some anticipation of arriving there, but this wasn't really expressed.
ReplyDeleteYou need to be more particular. There are several occassions where you don't use the proper names of the places you have visited. You reader has no idea where you've been.
ReplyDelete