The Pales Newsletter – April/May 2018

News from The Pales

A PDF version of this Newsletter can be downloaded for printing – please click here.

The Pales Newsletter – April/May 2018

From the Pales Management Group

The cusp between Spring and Summer is always an exciting time in the grounds of the Pales with new growth all around and plenty of opportunities for spiritual growth too. The Poetry Day was just such an occasion and we have a report written by Bridget Cherry together with a poem by Carey Glyn-Jones. We also have news of other events at the Pales that we hope the Area Meeting as a whole will support.

Table of contents;

• Poetry Day – Report by Bridget Cherry

• Countryphile by Carey Glyn-Jones

• Art Day in June, with Sandy Craig

• Summer Concert with Fiona & Gorwel Owen

• Geology with Joe Botting

• QVA visit in August

• Tailpeace

Poetry  at The Pales  April 24 2018

The hope that we would be sitting outside composing poetry in the spring sunshine was confounded by rain and chilly grey weather.  So instead, a dozen people gathered in the schoolroom around a cosy log fire for our morning workshop led by the poet Stevie Krayer.  Stevie began by suggesting that we think of what was important to us about the place where we lived – landscape and the countryside were popular choices, and we discovered that members of our group came from many places – South as well as Mid Wales and the Marches, and even from as far away as Hertfordshire.

Stevie then encouraged us to approach our theme ‘ Special Places’, by thinking about significant places remembered from our childhood, a time when we are especially aware of all our senses – absorbing impressions of sound, smell and touch as well as sight.  This was a helpful meditative exercise ,and after twenty minutes everyone had something to contribute, expressed in descriptive passages, a few words, or blank verse.  It was interesting to find that the seaside was a source of inspiration to many.  The varied forms of expression led to discussion on the nature of English poetry and the theory that English is not well suited to rhyming verse.  Stevie guided and encouraged us gently and the day had a very friendly atmosphere, with everyone ready to take part, and the morning passed all too quickly as we tried to work further on our writing.

After a magnificent bring and share lunch, we were joined by several more people, and moved into the more spacious Meeting Room for a series of interestingly varied poetry readings.  They included the following poem by Carey Glyn-Jones who was one of the group, which we are delighted to be able to publish here.

There was interest in holding another poetry day, and we are hoping to arrange something in the autumn – keep an eye on our website.

Countryphile by Carey Wyn-Jones

	COUNTRYPHILE
If I am to be lost,
	Let me be lost on the high hills
	Where the sky and springy turf roll and fold  into the horizon, Where the skylark tinkers with the edge of  infinity, And the wind hesitates only for rock, fleece or golden gorse.
If I am to be lonely,
	Let me find my way to the farm
	I shall need to know again the smell of an ungroomed coat, To feel the rasping tongue against my sleeve And look into the slow and steady eyes that know me well.
If I am to be sad,
	Let me wander into the wood.
	The primrose confidently beams from the stream’s steep bank The bluebell rumours it’s presence through shadowed trees And the dogrose catches my attention and my hair  while pink  petals smile.
If I am to be………
	Let me be me and hurry home . My feet find path and purpose beyond the beaten track, My hands reach for the clumsy companions that ruminate in field and yard, My senses feed on glimpse of colour, snatch of song  and  with the  wind , my spirit soars.
	Carey Glyn-Jones

Art Day in June, with Sandy Craig

Bookings for the Art Day are going well but there are still a few places available. If you would like an opportunity to spend a day being tutored by Sandy Craig, Welsh artist and educator, then why not join us? The charge for day will be £20 and you are requested to bring your own equipment and a picnic lunch. Full details are on the Pales website – thepales.org.uk/art-day-2018

Summer Concert with Fiona & Gorwel Owen

On the 23rd of June Fiona and Gorwel will be entertaining us with an evening of English and Welsh poetry and music. Fiona has had five collections of poetry published and Gorwel is involved in many music-making activities. You are invited to a bring your picnic to the Pales on the afternoon to enjoy the grounds and then to listen to the concert which will start at 7pm. Tickets cost £8 and are available now. Full details are on the Pales website – thepales.org.uk/summer-concert-2018

Quaker Voluntary Action working retreat at the Pales.

For four days in August the QVA volunteers will be holding their first working retreat at the Pales. 

They will live in community, staying with local Ffriends, and will work in 

the vegetable garden and the burial ground. A trip to Dolobran Meeting House has also been arranged. Hannah Brock, the new Working

Retreats Organiser will lead the event. There are only six places available and most are already booked.

For more information visit qva.org.uk or call 07530 844611.

Geology Day with Joe Botting – Monday 8th October

We are delighted to be able to announce day of Geology with Joe Botting. Friends may remember that Joe ran an event for us last year which was an enormous success, attended by over forty people. Joe will expand on last year’s talk, examining how to interpret sedimentary rocks and fossil communities. There will be more information in future newsletters.

 

 

 

Tailpeace

Where the bee sucks, there suck I: 

In a cowslip’s bell I lie; 

There I couch when owls do cry. 

On the bat’s back I do fly 

After summer merrily.   

Merrily, merrily shall I live now 

Under the blossom that hangs on the bough.

William Shakespeare