42 Comments

hola, april. lovely, photos and 5-7-5’s. thank you for sharing this tiny hint of the enormity of time and our own insignificance within it. that was my feeling from then images. one of them seemed to catch my eye in a particular way, and so that became the physical seed of a metaphysical and entomological look at the stones of church. where does our quest go to?

~~~

web on the ceiling

of wooden beams spider-like

the spiders unseen.

~~~

silence, more silence

than the years out spoken

of the inward quest

~~~

question the stone wall

the spider, the ants’ last meal

of wood, wine and crisps.

~~~

voices vibrate stone

and leave the quest uncertain

were souls their rocking?

~~~

what for the few pews?

a gesture towards being

alive as human

~~~

not just the spirit

above the fray of life’s fear

and the ageless age

~~~

like stone and not stone

a ghost that cannot be seen

in stoney faces.

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Beautiful as always Guy, thank you I love how these places inspire us to connect to time (if it exists) history (if it exists) and all of those thousands who may have passed that place before us and contemplated the same questions that we are asking. All those who sat with their emotions and spiritual questioning and watched the spider and the sunlight stripe through the window.

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yes. the challenge of mind. it has the idea it knows because it thinks of connections to the past that connect to a future even if dimly or dubiously perceived as solid. and there — in the disconnect from the only existence, the now of the body, a self so-construct that is our time and will reward us richly when we turn to it and ask, 'what now?'

your approach is to this point, even if the doorway is through a possible past we think we perceive. isn't the world and our words in it truly magical? amazing stuff.

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You tell a story. Thank you.

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you're welcome.

and thank you. (and thank you for subscribing. my story in the time of convid begins in the first post.)

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I’ll begin at the beginning. 🙂

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enjoy.

it is getting time to pick up the spiritual travelogue. i've made it to our entry to mexico. since than i've been sidetracked with my other non-travelogue writing. including the lovely meander into 5-7-5 here. all the best,

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Apr 14Liked by April Whalley

Wondering just now

What century the writer

What country of birth

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Hello Michael, wonderful question! I am thinking that you mean the writer whose manuscripts were sold to fund the restoration? ❤ 🙏

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Apr 14Liked by April Whalley

Yes and no 🙂 I wonder who the Writer is who wrote all this poetry in empty space, the chapel, the birds, the restless sea, the eclipse, the vanished worshipers, the poets, you, me? Who is writing this great poem with the countless couplets, each a complete poem?

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Ahh yes, wonderful 🙏 I feel that our words that reach out and connect to others all come from a source that is not our individual self, that we connect to a mycellium network of creative energy and what comes out just 'comes out'. I feel so grateful that some of it comes through me!

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1. Considering the variety of stones used, what does this tell us about the region's historical trade and transport capabilities?

2. The transition from a place of worship to a conservation project: how might the atmosphere within these walls have changed?

3. Thomas Hardy’s manuscripts played a crucial part in the church's 'rescue'; can you imagine how the local community might have felt about this exchange?

4. The schematic could be quite old; what might it tell us about the church's original design intentions compared to its current state?

5. With no congregations gathering, what echoes of the past might one hear in the stillness of the church now?

6. The Church Conservation Trust opens it daily; how do they balance preserving the church's quiet dignity with making it accessible for visitors?

7. The oak pews and interior from the early 18th Century: what stories of faith and community might they hold after hundreds of years of service?

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What a fantastic comment Gloria. I am also a person who asks many questions! Visiting a place like this, I am often the only person there, I can 'hear' history, I feel a connection to the people who went before, I almost hear snippets of conversations, I feel emotions, those who have sat in joy and those in grief. I touch the old oak that is white with age and I imagine all the hands touching it over the centuries. I am not sure many people know about these places as they are often away from the main roads. Some of them do not have signs outside so I don't think people know they are allowed in, often they are maintained by volunteers, some are covered in dead flies and cobwebs while others seem to have a more dedicated volunteer perhaps who puts out a sign and sweeps up. You can even hire a lot of these chapels if you want to put on a small concert or a book reading perhaps. I'd love to do a reading of one of Thomas Hardy's books here. I absolutely love reading aloud. I did stand in the pulpit and asked my ghostly audience what they would like to talk about ❤

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What a cool journey through this historic Church! To think of you being there alone and then sharing it with us around the world is really impressive as we can all honor the space.

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Thank you so much Heidi, I am so delighted to share it and that people have been interested. I visit a lot of these old places and since I am very often there on my own I wonder whether anyone else will be as fascinated as I am? 😂 I loved your last post, it did make me laugh, I wrote a comment but I am not sure if it showed up or not? ❤

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Thank you, April! I appreciate the prompt about your comment on Critters. I found it! Thank you so much for your support and patience. My little Panda hasn’t been feeling well, but is on the mend.

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Best wishes to the whole gang and a speedy recovery to Panda ❤❤

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Thank you so much, April. 🐾🐾💜🐼

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Loved it!

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Thank you so much, I'm delighted that people have responded with interest to this post. I am fascinated by such places so I was hoping others would be too!

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Apr 16Liked by April Whalley

Awesome! I confess that I love haiku written as travel literature, and you do such an amazing job at this! These poems make we want to go out, have an adventure and write a bunch of haiku!

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Wonderful. What a great comment, thank you Jason. Someone gifted me an old camera and it has created a wonderful little pattern of wanting to go to local places to explore, take pictures, do research, write haiku, and share it all here, which all seem to feed my interests (everything) and creativity. I recommend travel haiku ha ha, have an adventure!

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A true walk through history, April.

We are small in comparison to the span of history

but if it weren’t for Man there would be none of this to see.

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I agree Paul. Fascinating isn't it. I didn't anticipate that this post would interest many people so I have been delighted to find that other appreciate the beauty of an old church. I visit many of them in my area and am almost always on my own in the place!

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Apr 14Liked by April Whalley

That's a Wow Moment

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Excellent! Wow moments are GOOD 🙂 Thank you for being here Mark

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Either pictures or haiku would have been great. This is splendid! Loved that you “spoke” from the pulpit.

Thank you for sharing.

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Haha, thanks Monica ❤️ yes I love giving a sermon, only ghosts willinging to listen this time!

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Here ya go, because it's Sunday... a tour through a 12th Century Church,

in HAIKU.

You are welcome.

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Nice! 🙂 Thank you for sharing ❤️❤️

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So very cool! Thank you for taking us along with you April

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Lovely to have the company David ❤️ I am delighted that people have been interested in this post. I wasn't sure if was just me who found these places so fascinating 😂

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A moment to see a real Norman Rockwell wall done with classic style. Psalms read look forward to more on ley lines history. Pix exquisite documentation your work expressed in a new dimension.

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Ha ha, thank you so much Richard, wonderful comment as always. I have been exploring local sites - haunted, spiritual, energetic and obscure. All such different and enjoyable experiences.

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Apr 14Liked by April Whalley

Hello April, I loved this! The photos and the words. It's great that you got to experience the atmosphere without anyone there. Real soul food!

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Hey Nat, thank you so much. Yes I visit a lot of these places and I am almost always there alone. I decided to explore as much of Dorset as I can over this summer and so far I have been to incredible spots which are just around the corner from me and I had no idea they were there (and we have barely started Spring - so looking forward to months of exploration 😂)

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Apr 14Liked by April Whalley

Over here we had our total eclipse. It reminded some of eternity, insignificance, ephemerality..

What a place, the old chapel grounds to have watched the eclipse. The effects of each conjoined. Can you feel it?.

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I agree Michael. What an experience. I visit a lot of these places and they all evoke this feeling of connection to our past and our present existence and the same eternal questions that we strive to understand. Yesterday I visited a neolithic site which would have been a wood henge, many ley lines cross there and there are many surrounding barrows and other stones. In the centre was the ruins of an old Norman church, the same age as this one but in a state of ruin. It was a magical place too. I shall do a post on it soon! I would have loved to have seen the eclipse from one of these places

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As always, your pictures say as much as your poetry. They speak in stereo.

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Thank you Stan ❤ I really appreciate that you always take the time to comment, it means a lot to me.

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This is great! Thank you for the guided tour :)

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You are very welcome. Thank you for coming with me ❤🙏

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