Monday, 23 November 2020

PORTSCATHO: OUT OF THE GREYSCALE, INTO THE COLOUR...

 Portscatho: Out Of The Greyscale, Into The Colour…



Unkempt and dishevelled, foreground cliffs,

Their brush tousled, spiky and awry

Hide stern rocks, darkened weed and a solid quay wall,

As a group of small fishing skiffs,

Beached, redundant and huddled lie;

Like driftwood models, greyscale cottages form

A risky combat line in thrall

Of ocean, gale and threatening storm:

And old Portscatho tarries, locked in a dream,

Ragged and drained of life and its faded gleam…


Cut back and levelled, foreground cliffs

Their autumnal brush spiky and spry

Hide harsh rocks, blackened weed and a blunt harbour arm,

But no fishing vessels or small skiffs

Beached, moored, or redundant lie;

Like a model village, jaunty cottages form

A vibrant row, protected from harm

From ocean, gale and imminent storm:

And new Portscatho emerges from black and white,

Rugged, yet stained with colour and vivid light…



Pete Ray

November 2020


Thoughts about two images, one an old postcard of Portscatho, the other a similar view from a photograph I took some years back…



Love this place…




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