About Me

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Bristol , United Kingdom
Poet and poetry facilitator. Co-founder of the Leaping Word Poetry Consultancy, which provides advice for poets on writing, editing and publishing, as well as qualified counselling support for those exploring personal issues in their work - https://theleapingword.com. My sixth poetry collection, Love the Albatross, is now available from Indigo Dreams or directly from me.

Saturday, 19 November 2011

Chichester in October

Back in the second week of October I visited Chichester, where there is nary a straight line and a surprise around every corner.







After an extremely reasonably priced lunch in Raymond Blanc's brasserie (all the more tasty for being paid for by friends as a birthday treat), we passed the beautiful 15th century market cross ... 



 to visit the Cathedral, which I'd long wanted to see.  And full of delights it proved, old and new ...


... graffiti with serifs, 1699! ... 


... leaves in free fall ... 


... and a very modern gargoyle.

I loved this decidedly porcine cherub ... 




and this stunning stained glass window designed by Marc Chagall ...















matched for drama by this tapestry designed by John Piper. 







I'll be here for ever if I post pictures of every delight - the early 12th century Chichester reliefs; a consecration cross; more graffiti from centuries ago; more cherubs, distraught at the 1696 death of Bishop Robert Grove from a broken leg; a Roman mosaic pavement; a wonderfully delicate ceiling painting of twining foliage. I shall, however, post photos of two tombs which caught my eye, above of Joan de Vere, who died in 1293 and who has the most graceful face of any effigy I've ever seen, and below the Arundel tomb, made famous by Larkin's poem of the same name, with its marvellous last two lines.



Larkin says it all, really ...




  

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