Ancient Manuscripts

A change has occurred withinA shift of understanding of self and God.A realisation,Not new learning for it was already thereBut a ray of knowledgeAn understanding that the illuminations of ancient Irish manuscripts
being the unspoken Nur.Words are sometimes not enoughAll the senses need to engage in the glorySo what crumbs can I leave on my journeyTo light the way for those to come?Tactile textiles that feed the sight and touch,Colour to light the way,Protective comfort to warm the outer shellAnd of course …my love

— seabhac, Oct 01, 2009

About This Poem

About the Author

Country/Region: GBR

Critiques

hugo la rosa

16 years 8 months ago

Dear Seabhac:

Good for you! I'd like to have a copy of those great and rare items! What are they called? I'm really curious... Nice poem. Sincerely, Hugo

seabhac

16 years 8 months ago

Hi Hugo

The book of which I spoke was the book of Kells housed now in Trinity College Library in Dublin. There are many others from that time when Ireland was known as the place of saints and scholars. Much of the celtic artwork comes from illustrations within these wonderful books p.s. like the new cartoon of you

Candlewitch

16 years 8 months ago

hello

I, too would love to see these wonderful books which gave birth to the artwork. Great poem. I wouldn't change a word of it. Always, Cat

seabhac

16 years 8 months ago

Hi Cat

Thanks for the kind comments, it made me think back to why this collection of books were so special in my memory and I remembered seeing them as a child in Trinity College and being astounded by the blue of the lapis lazuli based colour. I had never seen anything like that in my young life and the thought that a ground stone could yield that depth of pigment and last a century blew me away. I have never thought of that day consciously in 30 odd years but I guess the emotion was inside waiting to release the memory. If you get a chance to view them go for it , they have a special vibrance. Kind regards Liz

lyz

16 years 8 months ago

Me Too

I was intrigued and I see from your write, which is excellent, by the way, that these treasures are worth the read. I hear of such manuscripts all over the world. If I had another lifetime, I would travel just to feast my eyes. Thank u for sharing. Love Lyz. XX

Nordic cloud

16 years 8 months ago

You charm and educate Liz

And in your wishes lies the deep love of an understanding you hold dear, and that you wish to spread, such is love. Thos manuscripts are so wondrously beautiful that we cannot describe them, they are so ancient and those ancients created them with just such love as you here describe. It is in the arabesques of their illuminated letters the sweep of flowered garlands and the detailed figures of the saints, or holy men, they are an inheritance we feel proud of having seen and perhaps understood, such rich colours, so exquisite and bold, I know just what you mean. And with these behind us as expressions of the human mind, we step forward with a grander joy in the living things of this earth don't we. A lovely thought dear Liz. Love from a Scottish- British Ann of Norway

seabhac

16 years 8 months ago

Hello Ann Toving

You understand so well what a rich inheritance these treasures are. In this speeding, spiraling world we now live in we forget there were dark days then too and how the expression of Love in an art form lit the way then and still shines brightly today if we remember to sit awhile in the darkness. Liz