Paradise lost

Back from Paradise - hard landing


Coast Liners Karen and Tricia, thank you for inspirational ideas and great poetry.

Karen what a romantic and wistful sonnet by Rossetti. An era, which we all yearn for at timeswith its softness in life and romantic expectations. And a great suggestion to go onto Victorian site for other kinds of sonnets in Victorian era. Shall do this myself. Although sonnets I find really difficult. But will have a go. I wonder if they would have been so romantic if the age for death were to have risen as now. Imagine a romantic sonnet about ageing people. Now who I could be thinking of. Noteably me, as I just had another birthday and Ian is younger than I.

Tricia, wonderful poems are stimulating. And the poem of the finding of real self. Of course this remains a mystery so many 'selves' and so many people have taught us various selves which are acceptable and decreed permissible to act out. I think we find our truest self, by which I mean that one amongst many, when we can just 'be' in writing, and also in pursuing any activity which totally immerses our 'selves' pleasureably. The one key knowing when this is when time stops.

Your metaphor of tunnels was a great one and good on you for kick starting the blog onwards.

Also thanks to Geoffrey for running the last meeting successfully and getting all the Xmas preparations and Kris Kringles organized. We will have two guests at our luncheon so to the all of us caterers bear this mind. I think you will enjoy their company. They will arrive at 1.00 pm and both like a glass of bubbly and fun. Geoffrey also delivered the hard copies of poetry. Well done you poets. Will comment more when I see you. Still adjusting being back to normal living because,


We stayed in an earthly Paradise. It was an estate high up beyond Ubud in Bali. There was our residence resplendent with a butler a Personal assistant, two cleaners and 74 gardeners. The resident had a dining and lounge room outside overlooking the majestic rice paddies and tropical gardens. June, you would have your art pad out and been busy every hour. There were two restaurants and these had a staff of 12 cooking whilst serviced by several Balinese. The most we saw in either dining room was 6 people. All the outside rooms were open to the tropics and breezes kept temperature down so 'being' in the mountain air was delicious. The balinese are a very happy race, and beautifully trained to not only to do the right thing with guests but a great deal of genuine feeling developed between my 'Yanti' and myself. I have some lovely photos which show this.

No staff were really visible. They had rooms under the residence and would appear and disappear as if they knew exactly what your plans for the day were. Which, by the way they did. Food organic cooked Indonesian style and extremely elegant whilst making use of all the tropical fruits and vegetables that were grown somewhere near.

But the best magic was when in the evening the huge coal pit by our own pool was lit by two Balinese, because our residence was called 'Fire' representing one of the four elements. Others hidden amongst the estate represented wind, water, earth. We did visit these and they had been built with these elements in mind so you felt them once you stepped inside.

So what has this got to do with poetry< NOTHING MUCH> Because whilst away I read, did yoga daily, some Pilates lots of massages and being pampered and sunk into the world of absolutely 'no worries.' So even though I took all the necessary books, pens, I just laid them carefully in the writing area and let them enjoy the serene effect of this magical holiday.

Back to Coast Lines. So next year put on thinking caps and deliver some 'wants' so that we can do some time during the year together. Whether it is a festival, theatrical event, reading, etc. Doesn't matter. Or a picnic where we all write as we wander. How about using our wonderful Botanical Gardens. Anyway up to you, let's make next year a year of other events. And we have the literature festival, which I have a couple of ideas on.

I look forward to seeing you at 55 Black Street Brighton next month on 5th December, for workshop at 10.30 am or thereabouts and lunch at 1.00pm. Or rather my dears High Tea. If you can get on foot or by public transport or get someone to pick you up you can really have some 'letting' go.

If it is hot, which Melbourne seems to be gearing upto, bring bathers if you want you can always stay on and have a swim or just sink into the water for a cool down.

I have also asked Ian to join us later in the day. He is useful as he serves drinks and cleans up beautifully. And he can recite in Welsh if he is very happy.
Which no doubt he will be.

I did think of you all when away and missed being at the last meeting.

Cecilia