postcard from wales
here, i am of otherworld, holy plane
pastoral elegy for eryri (draft)
eagle eyeview panoramic the whole world in one glance in a palm, on a fingertip in two dilated pupils here, i am of otherworld, holy plane of earth mother and firebrand daughter the grasses speak a foreign tongue whisper-wind chilled secrets tell me from here, something has been etched out of existence cut through by language & ice & sword water, cascading, weeps the sorrow of millenia in fast-forward a flashback that is not my own – excalibur cutting through water the woman, in waiting there for a single moment then submerged for eternity this i know: where there is woman there is a god but the same sentence cannot be said in reverse
I haven’t written a pastoral before, so this was my first attempt. Brief lesson for those unaware: a pastoral is a type of poetry that idealizes nature and focuses on the relationship between nature, humanity, and spirituality. A pastoral elegy is the same, but explores loss and is a lament for the dead. I had a lot of ideas for themes and topics that could be covered in this pastoral elegy, but I don’t have enough detailed historical knowledge yet to flesh them out in the way that I would like. This is definitely an early draft, but I hope it captures the feelings of awe, loss, and otherworldliness that I felt in Eryri National Park.
Now, let’s get on with the rest of the postcard.
The highlight of my trip to England in December was…Wales (no shade to you, England, you were lovely). Staying in Manchester, we weren’t too far off from seeing some sights in the northern part of the country, which I was set on doing when I realized how close we were. We booked a day trip through Viator (this is not an ad), and let me tell you, it was an absolute dream. I’d spend months there if given the chance.
Our trip started at the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, and my fear of heights got the best of me. I made it about four steps onto the bridge before fear paralysis set in and I had to step off. I didn’t even make it far enough to stand overtop the river. My brain’s fight or flight went into absolute flight, so I loitered for a bit beside the canal instead. My fiancé was able to walk the full length of the bridge, and he got some stunning shots from above.
We didn’t stay at the aqueduct terribly long. Perhaps about twenty minutes, and then we were off to our next stop - Betws-y-Coed. Our main sight here was St. Michael’s Old Church. The church was built in the 14th century and has a graveyard on the grounds. While we did not get to go inside, just being in the presence of such an old building leaves me in awe every time.
Our next stop was my favorite. I don’t think any words could ever do it justice. We spent a bit of time in Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park. I could have spent the entire day wandering and admiring all of its beauty. If god lived somewhere on Earth, I think it would have to be here. We learned, too, that Llyn Ogwen is said to be where the Lady of the Lake returned King Arthur’s Excalibur to the magical realm after Athur’s death at the Battle of Camlann. My knowledge of Arthurian legend is slightly above average at best, but this reignited my interest in the mythology and I plan to explore it more in future writings.
Our longest stop was in Conwy, and while there was plenty to see and do, we spent the majority of our time here dining on some award-winning fish and chips at Fisherman’s. And boy, were they worthy of that award. I think I will be chasing after fried fish that good for the rest of my life.
By the time we were done eating, we didn’t have a ton of time left in Conwy, which was a shame, but we were able to get some pictures of the Conwy Castle from afar even though we did not make it inside.
Our final stop of the day was in Llandudno where we first got to see the most gorgeous sunset of my life, and then got to enjoy the views of the beach. Our sunset stop was a bonus since we were ahead of schedule, and it really made the Llandudno experience for me. There’s just something about a sunset melting into the sky to close out a perfect day.
I don’t usually rely on such photo heavy posts, but I couldnt get through this one without sharing the absolute beauty this country has to offer. Wales captured my whole heart in less than eight hours, and I desperately want to return for more exploring.
Thanks for reading!
xoxo,
morgan
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Other postcards from my England trip:
water, cascading,
weeps the sorrow of
millenia in fast-forward
So so very beautiful 🥹 I loved the poem! And the views and the story behind them are just breathtaking 🫶