The white peak of beauty

Easter Monday, but Dalry Pool open today; so managed to fit in +20-lengths this morning as part of the remaining training-regime ...

... less than 5-weeeks to go until the big day now! Still plenty of time if you want to sponsor me - which will help the wonderful Venture Scotland! - all the relevant details are on my JustGiving page here :-)


Can't think of a relevant swimming-related photo today ---

--- so here's an excerpt from Sorley Maclean's "The Woods of Rassay" (taken from his marvellous 2011 collected poems - as pictured) instead:


The Woods of Rasasay

A face troubled the peace of the woodlands,
the bird-song of rivulets and the winding of burns,
the mildness of yellow stars shining,
the glitter of the sea, the phosphorescence of night.

When the moon poured the bright crown pieces
on the dark blue board of the sea at night
and I rowed to meet them,
I then tried to work out its genesis.

Sgurr nan Gillean is the fire-dragon,
warlike, terrible with its four
rugged headlong pinnacles in a row;
but it is of another sky.

Sgurr nan Gillean is the resposeful
beautiful unicorn in its whiteness,
in its snow whiteness sparkling,
calm and steadfast in its thrust,

its spearthrust on the horizon,
the shapely white peak of beauty,
peak of my longing and full love,
the peak that sleeps forever over the Clarach.

Green wood on the higher side of the Clarach,
the wood of Raasay with the music of laughter,
the wood of Raasay, mild and peaceful,
the joyful, sorrowful, loved wood.

---

Sorley Maclean (1911-1996)