"Rain"

It is always special to discover something new in a familiar place. I did a favourite walk this morning, a 10 mile return trip along the Pennine Way between the White House pub, above Littleborough, and Stoodley Pike, above Todmorden. I walk this path at least six times a year, every time passing this rock, on which climbers often practice. I passed it this morning on my right but looking at the view over Chelburn out to my left.

Later in my walk I found a new path of paving stones had been laid over the boggy peat, giving a bouncy sensation to the walk. I startled a few birds by singing along loudly to the songs in my headphones (notably today "Parklife.")

It was only on my return that I noticed some words carved in the stone. A detour over this bridge enabled me to read and photograph today's blip. The initials below the text "SA" gave me a clue as to who the writer is, poet Simon Armitage, who lives in the Pennines and walked the Pennine Way a couple of years ago.

Rain

Be glad of these freshwater tears
each pearled droplet some salty old sea bullet
air lifted out of the waves, then laundered and sieved, recast as a soft bead and returned.
And no matter how much it strafes or sheets, it is no mean feat to catch one raindrop clean in the mouth,
to take one drop on the tongue, tasting cloud pollen, grain of the heavens, raw sky.
Let it teem, up here where the front of the mind distils the brunt of the world.

SA