Glasgow

Within minutes of stepping off the train I was sandwiched between two rallies before meeting up and spending the rest of a really lovely day having lunch with Grace and attending the Aye Write! Festival.
It was freezing and the train home swayed to the lilt of a lot of Carling Black Label before arriving back to a very white Penrith.

Gerard Manly Hopkins was mentioned in the talk and I followed it up by reading this poem when I got back (and I had to smile when after the train journey I found myself hearing the second to last line and the 'see you' bit in a rather strong Carling Black Label fuelled Glaswegian accent!).

My own heart let me more have pity on - Gerard Manley Hopkins

My own heart let me more have pity on; let
Me live to my sad self hereafter kind,
Charitable; not live this tormented mind
With this tormented mind tormenting yet.
I cast for comfort I can no more get
By groping round my comfortless, than blind
Eyes in their dark can day or thirst can find
Thirst's all-in-all in all a world of wet.

Soul, self; come, poor Jackself, I do advise
You, jaded, let be; call off thoughts awhile
Elsewhere; leave comfort root-room; let joy size
At God knows when to God knows what; whose smile
's not wrung, see you; unforeseen times rather — as skies
Betweenpie mountains — lights a lovely mile.