Mock orange flowers
shine white in the dark storm light
restless in the wind
The grey storm clouds have been surrounding us this evening, but only a few drops have fallen here. The wind has been blustery. The moon is hiding. Here is the end of my weather report.
And here is the end of the shipping forecast as recounted by Carol Ann Duffy in her poem, Prayer.
Darkness outside. Inside, the radio’s prayer -
Rockall. Malin. Dogger. Finisterre.
And now I hear that a piece of music has been written for a choir, with the shipping forecast providing the words.
Interesting world in which we live.
Pseu
There’s something v satisfying about yellow pollen on a white petal isn’t there. Gold and silver almost.
Good old shipping forecast. How many of us enjoy its poetry.
A friend of mine used to listen to the radio a lot when her eldest was small, and he, the child, used to be able to repeat the shipping forecast!
Fabulous piece if music, and the bloke playing the announcer sounded just right. Do you know where they premiered it?
NO, but it was on the Breakfast Programme yesterday morning and it’s Portsmouth Choir…
Interesting indeed, Pseu!
Do you have a similar broadcast in SA, Cindy?
Mmmm, lovely Pseu
I love listening to the shipping forecast. I have no idea what any of it means but as I lie there, unable to sleep, I think about those people on little boats in the middle of the night, in the middle of the sea, not safe at all.
I agree, Tilly, though it was yeas before I knew what all those names referred to – and that all the phrases used have a specific meaning.
I remember loving the shipping forecast as a child – those names were a real part of my childhood. Names to conjure images with…
Pretty philadelphus.
they are marvellous names, but the way my mind works I don’t think I could ever visualise their place on the map as the reading is done… unlike my father who could listen to radio cricket commentary ans ‘see’ the game.
It’s one of the things that makes me homesick for England. If you try and listen to the shipping forecast your mind always wanders – it’s impossible to concentrate on for more than 2 minutes. So how do the ship captains do it?!
I think it’s to do with the idea of visualising the names as locations… then it makes sense.
Would it be good if they did trips, or tours to these shipping areas.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we are just approaching North Utsire, and it looks a bit rough, good job you all had oranges for breakfast, they taste the same coming up, as they do going down”
Well, there’s the thing, Val – - –