Water and Light

This is a poem I've written for a local competition about Alnwick Garden, which is quite a spectacular place in my town. The Garden dates from the 17th century and was originally designed by Capability Brown. It has had seven incarnations over the years, including beng used for Dig for Victory during WW2. It was closed down in the 50s and then the current Duke's wife has totally reinvented it big style. The Serpent Garden has some amazing water features, which all show different scientific phenomenon to do with water (she waffles). Torricelli was a 17th century physicist and Coanda was an aeronautical engineer, who discovered that water clings to things (ahem - very little knowledge of this). He also invented a flying saucer at one point in his career! Read all about the Alnwick Garden hereThis is my first attempt at a link. Woohoo.
You may notice that I've reused some description from previous poems in this one.
ps although Alnwick Garden is very flashy, nearby Howick Garden is a really magical place.


On a sunny morning
these red brick walls enclose
a luminous playground.

The fountain is a white bloom
blown from Rose Garden to Grand Cascade,
frothy petals quivering,
tentatively magnificent.

Ornamental geometry
is lined with silver ribbons,
pulled from glistening spouts

and shadows curve like spines
beneath dancing hornbeam.

In the Serpent Garden
a blackbird pulses through thoughtful poplars,
wings iridescent as wet slate
under charged water.

I ponder, too;
when gates are locked
and visitors scatter like leaves,
does Torricelli jump as liquid fizzes,
or Coanda see his flying saucer in the lurching Vortex?

Capability's beeches nod,
the weight of centuries on their boughs.