In the midst of the dreary waste of Gornhilly, which occupies a large portion of the Lizard promontory, is a large piece of water known as “Croft Pasco Pool,” where it said at night the form of a ghostly vessel may be seen floating with lug-sails spread. A more dreary, weird spot could hardly be selected for a witches’ meeting; and the Lizard folks were always – a fact – careful to be back before dark, preferring to suffer inconvenience, to risking a sight of the ghostly lugger. Unbelieving people attributed the origin of the tradition to a white horse seen in a dim twilight standing in the shallow water; but this was indignantly rejected by the mass of the residents.
Popular Romances of the West of England; the drolls, traditions, and superstitions of old Cornwall (1865)
Robert Hunt (1807-1887)
I Wake and Feel the Fell of Dark
G.M. Hopkins (1844-89)
I wake and feel the fell of dark, not day.
What hours, O what black hours we have spent this night!
What sights you, heart saw; ways you went!
And more must, in yet longer light’s delay.
With witness I speak this.
But where I say hours I mean years, mean life.
And my lament is cries countless, cries like dead letters sent to dearest him that lives alas! away.
I am gall, I am heartburn.
God’s most deep decree bitter would have me taste: my taste was me.
Bones built in me, flesh filled, blood brimmed the curse.
Selfyeast of spirit a dull dough sours.
I see the lost are like this, and their scourge to be as I am mine, their sweating selves; but worse.
Filed under: Dispatches, Happidrome 3, Nicholas Wootton, Sara Bowler | Tags: events, happ(i)nings, Nicholas Wootton, Sara Bowler
After a brief summer break, HAPPIDROME 3 continues with work by Sara Bowler and Nick Wootton.
Both are open events, so come see:
Sara Bowler
‘Pool’ Saturday 29th August to Monday 31 August
Exhibition open 2-4pm each day
Nick Wootton
Friday 4th September-Sunday 6th September
Exhibition open 1-6:30pm Friday, 10:30am-5 pm Sat/Sun
For directions to the site, see the Visit Us page of this blog.
Follow signs/main path from car park to R-Block
