Church Going

Sometimes I am struck by a feeling of melancholy, when I recall the events of recent past. I am reminded of Ovid, and the Tristia, which as a school boy, I had to translate as our Latin set book. The words are these: "When the saddest memory comes to mind, when I recall that night when I left so much so dear to me, even now tears fall from my eye."

So while Larkin's poem of the same name is writing an obituary for an institution, I am writing an elegy for a living community that has been exiled from its home.

I know the past can be seen through rose coloured spectacles, and nostalgia can be a sickness, but in this poem I wanted to convey something different - a sense of grief, of bereavement, as when something beautiful is lost, and what is worse in a way was that we did not really appreciate how precious it was until it was torn asunder.

But there are positive notes, I am sure. I am a great believer in providence. That is not that everything will be rosy in the garden, but that even out of a dark path, there can be seen ahead glimmers of life, even when the safe haven is lost, other havens are still there to welcome the storm tossed ship. 

So I will finish this preamble with a quote from an episode of Doctor Who. Stephen Moffat, whose writing could be sublime, and could put gems into simple words: "Things end. That's all. Everything ends, and it's always sad. But everything begins again too, and that's always happy. Be happy. "

Church Going

Now walking down each empty pew
The church is silent this time of day
A candle’s flame does gently sway
And I recall here past glories anew

Time was past, and we happy few
We who worshiped here today
Now walking down each empty pew
The church is silent this time of day

The evening mists, the gentle dew
The songs we sang at end of day
And God was love, he used to say
Until a cold wind suddenly blew
Now walking down each empty pew