Sunday, October 9, 2016

Grandfather Mountain

I updated this poem today from this past weekends "IGWRT's Sunday Challenge" and am posting the new ending here today.
From on top of Grandfather Mountain
"Ibadan, running splash of rust and gold - flung and scattered among seven hills like broken china in the sun."  J. P. Clark 

Grandfather Mountain

Beneath necklaced peaks of yellow gold
& sunset clouds of Touraine blue,
'long old black bear's trail

resides gossamer lit havens & veiled hollows;
glimpses of time begun -
viewed upon swaying bridge.

Remnants, delicately interwoven
amidst folds & cracks layered ancient -
triumphs, tragedies, truthful tales

of character & struggle
along hidden trails or well worn paths
beneath blood red sourwoods & pumpkin hued beech.

by Margaret Bednar, October 9, 2016

From Moses Cone estate-near Grandfather Mtn (untouched photo)





Linked with "Imaginary Garden with Real Toads - Sunday Mini Challenge - A Splash of Rust & Gold - Micro Poetry"

Note:

*  Geologists came here to study the "Grandfather Mountain Window," a hole in time that allows them to discover what the core of the earth was like when time began. The oldest rock exposures on the surface are the "Wilson Creek Gneiss" (granite type) found along Wilson Creek on the eastern slope of Grandfather near US221.

Gold was mined from three shafts on Grandfather prior to the 1849 California gold rush, but the high grade ore was played out long ago and even at today's prices, mining is no longer cost effecive.

*  Touraine Flow Blue is a vintage china pattern by Stanely Pottery (British)


17 comments:

Jim said...

IF I ever get to Washington again this is a place I would like to visit. I have an uncle six months older than I living there
Isn't it nice to view ancient formation relics. They are amazing in my world. You wrote this so very well, it put me back, in the seat of a small plane, to the early 1980's when we flew around a few times inside Mt. Saint Helens' crater. Wanted to crawl out then, the old geologist student's desire return.
..

Margaret said...

Grandfather Mountian is in NC

Debi Swim said...

Down near where I grew up, Margaret. Love work and lovely area.

Stacy M.S. said...

oh, your language is so rich and vivid.
also really enjoyed the photos and video.

Jim said...

Oops, sorry, Margaret. I hadn't realized North Carolina and the Smokey Mountains had places like that. I must have had Washington strongly on my mind. We've been near but not in your park. A couple of times we've spent evenings and once a week (Ridgecrest, N.C.).
..

brudberg said...

Just the name grandfather mountain would make me filled with anticipation... I wonder if its close to the area I visited coming from the Tennessee driving up... My experience was a mid-winter experience though

Kim M. Russell said...

I agree with Bjorn about Grandfather Mountain! This is lovely, Margaret - great photos too!

Margaret said...

I completely understand the confusion :)

Margaret said...

One of my favorite drives to date is from Boone NC crossing over into TN!

Kerry O'Connor said...

I love the sunset clouds of Touraine blue... Beautiful use of colour throughout.

Helen said...

You write so beautifully, especially when the subject is near to your heart. In this case, it's geography.

Rosemary Nissen-Wade said...

Beautiful visual and verbal images.

brudberg said...

I loved a revisit... a lovely place to walk in autumn.

kaykuala said...

stories of character & struggle
along hidden trails or well worn paths

There are great stories to tell as there are tell-tale signs to indicate they had happened. It is a matter of getting them! Wonderful completion through the revisits Marge!

Hank

Yvonne Osborne said...

I love the name of your mountain! It is difficult to put beauty to words but you have done so.

Kerry O'Connor said...

I do like the last line - such a strong final image.

Stacy M.S. said...

gorgeous colors. a nostalgic write.