IN THE VALLEY OF THE SUN KING

 

Sun shines in the valley
where the sun king came to stay,
shade is shy in the valley
at the king and queen’s hideaway.

Shadows slip through the valley
down from stars to under stairs,
some secrets slip through the valley
whispered from lips of concrete heirs.

Sun shines in the valley
on swans now savage at swim,
the sun shines in the valley
though the peasants weren’t allowed in.

Shadows sneak through the valley
through the greed gathered within,
shadow is splitting the valley
like guillotines cutting through skin.

Sun shines in the valley
as gold from the fountains flow,
the sun shines in the valley
where follies fade and legends grow.

Shadows sleep in the valley
along paths where tourists thread,
shadows are stuck in the valley
like dust on ideals long dead.

Sun shines in the valley
as Apollo rides the waves,
the sun shines in the valley
and drowns the suggestion of slaves.

Shadows stretch through the valley
pressed into promises made,
shadow is song in the valley
on benches where kisses once laid.

Sun shines in the valley
in the Sun King’s palace of pride,
the sun shines in the valley
where they often came just to hide.

All words and photographs by Damien B Donnelly

Reposting this for 14 juillet (Bastille Day, French National Holiday) 

I took a break recently to deal with some life challenges, health issues, panic attacks and to edit my novel (after receiving an extremely positive critique from an interested publisher) and then ended up getting distracted by planning to move country at the end of the year so have not been around for a while ( I am sorry to have been away for so long and also sorry to have missed your blogs, I will be playing catch-up over the coming weeks after a trip to Ireland) but I am still here, and will be back…

In the meantime I am re-blogging a few older poems.

Hugs and good thoughts to you all, DamiX

FRAMING FRANCE; STRASBOURG

Last weekend, possibly the final weekend of glorious sunshine for another year, we went to Strasbourg, the final birthday celebration, a city that is fully French, was once German for almost 50 years and is now filled with pretzels, flammenkueche, and all around adorability…

And good cocktails! What? I’m Irish!!!

Seriously, I wanted to eat everywhere! And tried!

On your bike! No cars in the city centre after 11am, Joy!!!

This is an actual school, lycée! It must be for wizards!!

Saint Paul’s Reformed Church, one of the many churches along our boat tour

European Parliament 

Flammenkueche, Pizza Alsace style

Petite France area of Strasbourg, Can you imagine this with the Christmas market in full sway!!!!

We had the best sauerkraut with fish here! (Choucroute de la mer). Not from the troff!!! 

Shadows within the Museum of Modern Art and below an art installation outside by Brooklyn based artistic collaboration FAILE

A moving Spider at the museum of modern Art, in top hat too!

And a goodbye from the glass modernity of Central Station 

All photographs by Damien B. Donnelly

ESCAPE TO THE SOUTH, FRAMING FRANCE

 

A weekend in Marseille, Frioul, Cassis and the hills and beaches of Calanque…

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Frioul Archipelago

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Marseille seen from the Frioul and the island of If, from The Count of Monte Cristo

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Vieux Port, Marseille 

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Calanque

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View from the restaurant in Calanque 

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Calanque de Sugiton

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Backstreet of charm in Cassis

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Pastis before brunch

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All photographs by Damien B. Donnelly

ESCAPING THE CITY; SEA, SAND AND SUNSETS IN SAINT MALO AND LE MONT SAINT MICHEL, BRETAGNE, FRANCE

 

Weekend break from the Parisian heat in Bretagne, France…

By the Breakers at Saint Malo

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Patterns on la plage (the beach)

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Sunset over the former pirate seas of Saint Malo 

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Big Bear at Le Grand Hotel des Thermes, Saint Malo

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The Seagull sweep

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Striking a pose

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Le Mont Saint Michel

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Tide’s out

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Sunset beneath Le Mont Saint Michel

Within the Abbey at Le Mont Saint Michel

All photography by Damien B. Donnelly

 

IN THE SHADOW OF THE SUN

Day 8: National Poetry Writing Month #NaPoWriMo

 

Sun shines in the valley
where the sun king came to stay,
shade is shy in the valley
at the king and queen’s hideaway.

IMG_7727

Shadows slip through the valley
down from stars to under stairs,
some secrets slip through the valley
whispered from lips of concrete heirs.

IMG_7716

Sun shines in the valley
on swans now savage at swim,
the sun shines in the valley
though the peasants weren’t allowed in.

IMG_7636

Shadows sneak through the valley
through the greed gathered within,
shadow is splitting the valley
like guillotines cutting through skin.

IMG_7724

Sun shines in the valley
as gold from the fountains flow,
the sun shines in the valley
where follies fade and legends grow.

IMG_7602

Shadows sleep in the valley
along paths where tourists thread,
shadows are stuck in the valley
like dust on ideals long dead.

IMG_7611

Sun shines in the valley
as Apollo rides the waves,
the sun shines in the valley
and drowns the suggestion of slaves.

IMG_7607

Shadows stretch through the valley
pressed into promises made,
shadow is song in the valley
on benches where kisses once laid.

IMG_7741

Sun shines in the valley
in the sun king’s palace of pride,
the sun shines in the valley
where they often just came to hide.

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All Words and Photographs by Damien B. Donnelly

Photographs taken on Sunday 2nd April at Chateau de Versailles, Paris, in the sun.

FERTILE FIELDS

 

Around me, like a blanket,
nature wraps its scent
of bush and bark,
of fertile soil,

as if I am the tree
and comfort comes
from fragile foliage

folding into colours
that glisten like gold
over crisp blades
of cut grass

that feel like velvet
beneath my feet
and I thread softly
and I move carefully

like the compassionate clouds overhead.

Before me with roots
deeper than time
a tree stands tall
entangled with memories

with madness,
with a sadness
that cannot be buried,
that cannot be wrapped
in a blanket.

We plant our past in fertile fields
and water them with our tears

in the hope for a brighter future.

 

This field, in Parc de Sceaux, in a southern suburb of Paris, is the site of the Mémorial de la Shoah, a memorial to the deportation of the Jewish during World War II.

All words and Photographs by Damien B. Donnelly

Audio version available on SoundCloud: