Scilly 2000

SCILLY 2000

We are travelling through Cornwall and due to catch a plane next afternoon to the Scilly Isles. Taking the scenic coastal road out of Falmouth, past Mawnan Beach the narrow, twisty road climbs steeply. Just past a bend I try to change gear and loose it altogether. We are causing a major traffic blockage. Somehow I manage to crash it into first gear and nurse the car up to the top of the hill where I can pull in and allow traffic to pass. My wife is left to walk up the hill about a mile in the pouring rain! It takes about 45minutes for the breakdown service to get to us. The mechanic spends some time under the bonnet but to no avail. He tows the car 25 miles to the main-dealers in Penzance and we find very nice overnight rooms just up the street.

Cornish backroads
getting the guided tour
in a tow-truck

Monday morning. It is still raining The garage will look at the car and get it repaired while we are on the Scillies. I telephone the airport for advice. They say that their bus is on its way into Penzance and will pick us up from the hotel. It takes us to Lands End Airport for 10am where owing to the strong winds there is nothing flying out.

horizontal rain
would-be flyers view
deserted runway

We are bussed back to Penzance for a late afternoon helicopter to the islands. On arrival it is practically a gale force wind and it is hard even to just walk from the copter to the terminal building. A bus takes us to our lodgings on Garrison Hill. Later we have a meal in a room overlooking the harbour and watch the boats being tossed around mercilessly. We learn on the news that back home all the main roads are closed by snowdrifts.

During the week we take tours of the island by bus. The driver of the vintage bus is very knowledgeable and tells us all about the islands, their history, government, education system, gig racing, wreck-salvaging, daffodil harvesting. He points out the various wild flowers that grow on the island. It stops at a potter's studio. The rival tour varies its route by going down some rougher tracks to viewpoints the other bus cannot reach. The view from the golf course right across the middle of the Hugh Town isthmus is especially magnificent. On the way back into town we see Mary Wilson reading in the garden of her bungalow. Back in Hugh Town we visit the local charity shop where I pick up a very nice sweater for £2 while my wife finds a woolly hat for 50p.

after Mothers' Day
daffodils left unpicked
in the fields

Another day we make our way down to the harbour and get tickets hoping to see the puffins on Annett. However, we get on the wrong boat and are off to St Martins instead. A rather blowy crossing that lands us at "Lower Town" by a luxury hotel just 12 years old. In the lounge is a roaring open fire by which we sit. The Australian waitress, who hails from Sydney, serves "madam" with frothy coffee and "sir" with lemon tea. Nicely warmed up we set off to walk the length of the island's road. We can only take it slowly, but there are seats along the way and we stop frequently. The profusion of flowers in the hedgerows is wonderful with wild garlic, hottentots, splendid lilies, geraniums &c. The views are of little rocky islands with sandy beaches, fields, that had been full of daffodils but are now dying off, ringed by hedges that keep the full force of the winter winds off thegrowing plants.

island field
a goat and two kids
frolicking

In the evening we go to the Church Hall for a concert by Wayside Music. The music is played on old instruments including a cornish bagpipe, a lizard, a symphonium, tenor and bass rackets. There are also slides of various aspects of Scilly life even including some of the experimental catamaran that broke up in the seas here only a week ago. Whilst waiting for a taxi back we see a meteorite descending through the Plough.

on the island
moonless night
how bright the stars

Saturday morning we get on a boat for the Norad rocks. This takes us out to the uninhabited islands in the northern part of the archipelago, with such names as Mincarlo, Scilly Rock, Men-a-vaur, &c. The captain of the vessel gives a very intelligent commentary on the birdlife we see. Mincarlo hosts a large group of breeding shags, shearwaters, gannets and puffins. The puffins give us several splendid fly-pasts while the boat hovers around offshore. We also see about half-a-dozen seals, two of whom are basking on rocks in a wide sheltered channel between two islands. We pass Shipman's Cove and Hell Bay before entering the channel between Tresco and Bryher from the north. Unable to berth first at Tresco, we land at Anneka's Quay on Bryher to let people off and then cross to Tresco where others disembark leaving about nine people for the return to St Mary's. On the way back the boat stops to pick two men up from the strand at uninhabited Samson. They have to climb a plank to get aboard.

on rocky ledges
waiting for morsels
squawking shag chicks

On our last evening we get a boat to St.Agnes. There are 17 passengers and going over the sea is not too choppy. Whilst others go for a walk, the less energetic take the short stroll to The Turks Head. Strangers gather around the tables to eat, drink and talk. I have scampi and chips, while my wife has crab and prawn with herbisized potatoes.

retired scientist
drinks wine –
disparages both young and old

Coming back it is very dark and the winds are easterlies. We see the new moon shining clearly with Saturn nearby, but as we get nearer to St Mary's the boat pitches quite a bit. We are repeatedly hit by cold salty sprays and arrive back like frozen, drowned rats! We shelter in the dark telephone kiosk on the harbourside and phone for a taxi to take us back to our lodgings for the final time.

The airport bus comes for us at midday and we have our last journey along the lanes of St Marys.

she remembers
half-way to the airport
new hat left behind

Back in Penzance we are surprised to find that the bill for the car is much less than expected. All they had needed to do was to adjust the clutch. We come off the A303 just after Wincanton and travel down some narrow lanes, rather lost. We come out on a main road and see a guesthouse across the road. We pull over and discover they have a very nice ensuite double-room. In the morning it is raining and continues raining all day with the exception of a few brief spells. Between Ashbourne and Buxton the rain turns to sleet, the outside temperature dropping to 3 degrees Celsius. My wife sleeps in the car while I shop at a supermarket outside Buxton to stock up on food before getting home about 6pm. There are eight messages on the answer phone.

the week-old message
greetings we had longed-for
our absent son

© Gerald England

Composed: Gee Cross, 29th June 2000

Publications

2001 Time Haiku (UK) (part only)
2001 Sparrow (Croatia)
2003 Haibun by Contemporary Writers (Internet)

(m15)

over the flat stones
shadows of passing seagulls
flicker at my feet

© Gerald England

Composed: Gwernaffield, 28th August 1998

Publication

2000 Sparrow (Croatia)
2004 Karolina rijecka (Internet)

*****
Preko kamenjara
Sjene prolazecih galebova
Trepere na mojim stopalima

Gerald England

Translated into Croatian

Publication

2000 Sparrow (Croatia)
2004 Karolina rijecka (Internet)

(m14)

begging for bacon
the smokey-grey tomcat
purrs very loudly

© Gerald England

Composed: Gwernaffield, 28th August 1998

Publication

2000 Sparrow (Croatia)

*****
Moleci slaninu
Prljavosiv macak
Prede vrlo glasno

Gerald England

Translated into Croatian

Publication

2000 Sparrow (Croatia)

(m12)

drinking tea in bed
we watch blackbirds in the field
catching early worms

© Gerald England

Composed: Gwernaffield, 28th August 1998

Publications

2000 Sparrow (Croatia)
2003 Blackbird (USA)

*****
Pijuci caj u krevetu
Motrimo kosove u vrtu
Love prve crve

Gerald England

Translated into Croatian

Publication

2000 Sparrow (Croatia)

(f34)

this cold Good Friday
I walk with my son down town
to buy hot-cross-buns

© Gerald England

Composed: Hyde, 28th March 1997

Publications

1999 Sparrow (Croatia)
2007 Curlew (UK)

*****
ovog hladnog Velikog Petka
šetam sa sinom donjim gradom
da kupim vruèe-križ-pevivo


Gerald England

translated into Croatian by Marijan Èekolj


Publication

1999 Sparrow (Croatia)

(f32)

first hesitant words
coming out of the coma
— No! Yes! Coke!

© Gerald England

Composed: Woodley, 14th December 1996

Pubications

1998 LIMBO TIME (Hyde, New Hope International)
1999 NASA (USA)
1999 Sparrow (Croatia)
2000 MIR (USA)

*****
prve neodluène rijeèi
dolaze iz kome
— Ne! Da! Cocal-cola!

Gerald England

translated into Croatian by Marijan Èekolj

Publication

1999 Sparrow (Croatia)

(f29)

using a brochure
from an animal rights groups
she swatted the wasp

© Gerald England

Composed: Gee Cross, 1996

Publications

1999 Sparrow (Croatia)
2001 Haijinx (Internet)

*****
služeæi se brošurom
društva za zaštitu životinja
zgnjeèila je osu

Gerald England

translated into Croatian by Marijan Èekolj

Publication

1999 Sparrow (Croatia)

(f24)

alone on the beach
suddenly — the sound of hooves —
race horses training

© Gerald England

Composed: Gee Cross, 1st October 1995

Publication

1998 Sparrow (Croatia)

*****
sam na plaži —
iznenadan zvuk kopita
rasnih trkaèih konja

GERALD ENGLAND

(translated from English to Croation by Marijan Èekolj)

Publication

1998 Sparrow (Croatia)

(f23)

flu preventing sleep
she eats a bacon sandwich
while her husband snores

© Gerald England

Composed: Gee Cross, 1st October 1995

Publication

1996 Sparrow (Croatia)

*****
gripa sprijeèava san
ona jede sendviè od slanine
dok suprug hrèe

GERALD ENGLAND

(translated from English to Croation by Marijan Èekolj)

Publication

1996 Sparrow (Croatia)

(f19)

outside the X-ray
waiting patients laugh and joke
— passing matron scowls

© Gerald England

Composed: Huddersfield, 27th May 1995

Publications

1995 New Hope International Writing (UK)
1995 Lo Straniero (Italy)
1996 Sparrow (Croatia)

*****
Izvan X zraka
pacijenti se smiju i šale
— mrgodna nadzornica

GERALD ENGLAND

(translated from English to Croation by Marijan Èekolj)

Publication

1996 Sparrow (Croatia)

(f12)

three patients waiting
impending operations
not one of them speaks

© Gerald England

Composed: Ashton under Lyne, 25th August 1994

Publications

1996 Sparrow (Croatia)
1997 Time Haiku (UK)
1998 Sparrow (Croatia)
2004 TIME HAIKU ANTHOLOGY (London, Time Haiku Group)

*****
tri bolesnika èekaju
predstojeèu operaciju —
ni jedan ne govori

GERALD ENGLAND

(translated from English to Croation by Marijan Èekolj)

Publications

1996 Sparrow (Croatia)
1998 Sparrow (Croatia)

(f9)

old inn on the moor
now tarted up for tourists -
blot on the landscape

© Gerald England

Composed: Middlesbrough, 14th April 1994

Publication

1996 Sparrow (Croatia)

*****
stara krìma u pustari
zatvorena za turiste —
ljaga za krajolik

GERALD ENGLAND

(translated from English to Croatian by Marijan Èekolj)

Publication

1996 Sparrow (Croatia)

(f3)

sunday morning soak
i languish in hot water
distant churchbells sound

© Gerald England

Composed: Denton, 6th February 1994

Publication

1998 Sparrow (Croatia)

*****
mokro nedjeljno jutro —
æamim u vruæoj vodi uz udaljena
crkvena zvona

Gerald England

translated from English to Croatian by Marijan Èekolj

Publication

1998 Sparrow (Croatia)

(g24)

church coffee morning
thronged with shoppers escaping
the Saturday rain

© Gerald England

Composed: Ashton under Lyne, 15th May 1993

Publications

1993 Tops The Toadbird (UK)
1998 Sparrow (Croatia)

*****
crkveno jutro
natiskano kupcima pobjeglim
od subotnje kiše

Gerald England

translated from English to Croatian by Marijan Èekolj

Publication

1998 Sparrow (Croatia)

(g23)

picturesque village
beauty blighted by litter
of house "For Sale" signs

© Gerald England

Composed: Parkgate, 8th May 1993

Publication

1998 Sparrow (Croatia)

*****
slikovito selo —
ljepota uništena šutovinom
I oznakama na kuæama za prodaju

Gerald England

translated from English to Croatian by Marijan Èekolj

Publication

1998 Sparrow (Croatia)

(g18)

under dragon clouds
swallows swarm on their way south
- summer so soon gone

© Gerald England

Composed: Gee Cross, 9th October 1992

Publications

1995 Sparrow (Croatia)
1997 Lateral Moves (UK)
1998 LIMBO TIME (Hyde, New Hope International)
1999 NASA (USA)
2000 MIR (USA)
*****
divlji oblaci
jato lastavica put juga
- ljeto je prebrzo proslo


© Gerald England

translated into Croatian by Marijan Cekolj

Publication

1995 Sparrow (Croatia)

(g12)

iciest of nights
fish-net tights and mini-skirt
still they dress for work

© Gerald England

Composed: Ashton under Lyne, 24th January 1992

Publications

1992 The Plastic Tower (USA)
1998 Sparrow (Croatia)
1998 LIMBO TIME (Hyde, New Hope International)

*****
ledene noæi —
hulaholpke I mini suknje
one još oblaèe za posao

Gerald England

translated from English to Croatian by Marijan Èekolj

Publication

1998 Sparrow (Croatia)

Swan

              SWAN

              To the little boy

              a swan is just a big duck

              - royal birds bend their necks

              © GERALD ENGLAND

Composed: Naburn, 12th October 1986

Publications

1989 The Old Police Station (UK)

1995 Sparrow (Croatia)

1997 Whoosits (Internet)

*****

                                        malom djecaku labud                                         je velika patka - pleminte ptice svijaju vratove

        Gerald England

           translated into Croatian by Marijan Cekolj

Publication

1995 Sparrow (Croatia)

Robin Redbreast

              ROBIN REDBREAST

              Seen on Christmas Day

              pecking at the bird table

              scraps of cake and sage

              © GERALD ENGLAND

Composed: Naburn, 11th October 1986

Publications

1989 The Old Police Station (UK)

1995 Sparrow (Croatia)

1997 Whoosits (Internet)

*****

                                        na Bozic kljucanje s pticje trpeze mrvice kolaca i kadulje

        Gerald England

           translated into Croatian by Marijan Cekolj

Publication

1995 Sparrow (Croatia)

Greylag Goose

              GREYLAG GOOSE

              Leaving the latest,

              the flight of the greylag geese

              fortells frosty weeks

              © GERALD ENGLAND

Composed: Naburn, 10th October 1986

Publications

1989 The Old Police Station (UK)

1995 Sparrow (Croatia)

1997 Whoosits (Internet)

*****

divlje guske,

odlazeci posljednje navjescuju

studene dane

        Gerald England

           translated into Croatian by Marijan Cekolj

Publication

1995 Sparrow (Croatia)