This project has been ongoing over a number of years, see earlier notes, and I had hoped that this collection of poems would put the lid on it…
This is now unlikely to be the case, I cannot put the project out of my mind, and I am interested in putting the poems to music…
A new publication in the Poem by Post Series, in collaboration with visual artist Susan Bennetta, a creative outcome arising from a recent residency “Making Light Work”, at the former Paraffin Store to the Lighthouse (see Research page). I responded to one of Susan’s cyanotypes, bluebells. This hand-sewn pamphlet is available from our press.
Bluebells at St Anthony…
From the lighthouse
along cliff track
between them
(argand and electric lamp)
an empty stretcher
wooden, bed-flat, hung up.
Here, above the sea
at the paraffin store
you make cyanotypes
potential for light contained
scrape-marks on old stone
miracle and lost things
hedge and kissing gate
for the years between
you choose bluebells
and this poem, you.
After day’s light
distance safe
a secret place
is wildflower deep
coffin, cattle-trough
by churchyard path
…in Roseland
© Philip Bennetta, 2018
philip bennetta 