Troll In A Storm

I recently received a delightful surprise in the post. Our friend Barrie Haynes does not rate himself as a poet, but in 2021 he published a small selection entitled When I Was Of This Earth, in aid of Wessex Cancer trust in memory of his son who died in 2006. Under the imprint of Hat Gate Books this self-published little volume is marketed by Amazon.

Barrie’s simple, well crafted, poems use rhythm and rhyme to describe nature and places in an intelligible manner. They are evidence of close observation, his rounded vocabulary, and his knowledge of the country. Straightforward language includes some profound thoughts on life and death. I think he underplays himself.

I have chosen to reproduce this spare, elegantly simple, example. Unfortunately, this piece on Mevagissey bears a typo in the title. Nevertheless the poem is one of my favourites. It is one of two such titular misprints that mar the production – the other being Stanger for Stranger.

Several readers pointed out the similarity in yesterday’s header picture between my brother Joseph and me and our father.

Some will recognise this one of me with Chris and Jacqueline from 1947.

None will have seen this one of Dad probably taken in 1925 when he was 8.

We are continuing with rehanging our pictures.

Becky’s “Troll in a Storm”, produced aged 6, now hangs above my sitting room chair.

This evening we dined on Jackie’s Ferndene Farm Shop Lincolnshire sausages in red wine; creamy mashed potatoes; crunchy carrots and cauliflower; firm Brussels sprouts and peas, with which I drank Barossa Valley Shiraz 2017.

86 comments

  1. You remind me that I have pictures I want to hang that are on my husband’s honey do list ! Drawings from when our children were young.
    That is a very comfy looking chair.
    Howdy, we see you in the mirror

  2. A loving history in photos. Thanks for sharing. (We especially enjoyed the glimpse of Derrick in the mirror!) “Troll In A Storm” is delightful, and in a position of honor above your chair.

  3. I love seeing old family pictures. Of course, at this point, I recognize you, even as a small child. It’s so interesting to see the child in the adult and the way resemblances follow through your children. I did have a chuckle at your reflection in the mirror, but I didn’t see it at first!

  4. A really precious photo of your father.
    What a lovely picture from Becky.
    And I love the picture of the picture – showing, in your intriguing way, the photographer taking the former…!
    What an artistic family you have 🙂

  5. What sweet photos! Definitely a family resemblance! All handsome boys! 🙂
    Becky’s painting is so wonderful! She captured the movement and scariness of a storm! It deserves that special place of honor! (Did you plan to have yourself in the mirror? Great addition to the photo! A picture within a picture! Where’s Derrick?!? 🙂 )
    Mr. Haynes’ poem creates such a perfect image….ignites the senses!
    (((HUGS))) 😉

  6. I love the old photos and Becky’s “Troll in a Storm,” with the wind whipping around the troll. Typos happen. It’s good that you can overlook them to enjoy the beauty of the poems.

  7. Hi Derrick – I like that Mevagissey poem. I can picture the birds rising and falling on the water. I also like the Troll in a Storm picture – you’re lucky to have that!

  8. The simplicity of the poem is a window to the raw power of the grief inundating the poet’s heart. Those photos and paintings are indelible memorabilia of the times that were once here.

  9. Family resemblances are interesting to see. One of my sons and his daughter clearly resemble my father. Only now, in my seventies, are my children beginning to comment that I am starting to look like my mother in certain poses. I clearly see vestiges of the other grandparents in my youngest grandchildren too.

  10. That poem is lovely, and the only good thing about typos is that they can be corrected. “Troll in a Storm” is filled with such wonderful movement. Quite an accomplishment for a six year old.

  11. I can see the resemblance between you, Joseph and your father in the photos. Old family photos are like time time travel, aren’t they?

    I love “Becky’s Troll in a Storm”. She had quite the imagination!

  12. Becky’s painting is amazing and titled appropriately. I love the cozy look of your home and family photos hung on the wall are the perfect touch. Thank you for correctly guessing ‘Miss Piggy’ in my post – The Interview. I posted a sequel; giving you credit for the correct guess. Take care.

  13. Poetry, portraits, and paintings–a lovely post. I like the poem, but it’s a shame about the typos. There’s definitely a family resemblance in the portraits. I love all the movement in “Troll in a Storm”–and what a great title!
    Your image in the mirror like a ghost, makes the photo perfect. ?

  14. Definitely a strong family resemblance! Very much like myself, my daughter, and her daughter. We have photos as tots where the only way to tell who is who, is by the clothes we were wearing.

  15. Ooooh … That one of one of your dad taken in 1925 when he was 8 is a knockout! I see such a resemblance between him and photos I’ve seen of you around that age! I love where you chose to hang it. Perfect!!

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