Remember: William Woodland

We cling to the enduring strength of stone to fight the fear of being forgotten.

So please take a moment to remember:
William Woodland
Son of William and Ruth Woodland
Born Sept. 4, 1853
Died Dec. 7, 1876
Aged 23 Y's 3m. & 3d.

Affliction sore short time he bore,
Physicians were in vain;
Till God at last did call him home,
And eased him of his pain.

January 26, 2006:
A shadow walks with me among the stones. Pointing again and again and again. Laughing. I'm angry for William. What William faced was real. I'm not scared of shadows.

But then, I realize. The shadow bleeds from me. Merciless disease, however weakened, is never gone, never beaten. I can't run from shadows.

What we face is real. I'm angry for us.

(St. Peter's United Church of Christ, West Pikeland Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania)

In the Shadow of Burnaby Light

A wooden tug steamer
Chehalis was christened
Honoring tribes of the woodlands.
At fifty-four tons, she churned through the bays
In the shadow of Burnaby Light.

Express to Vancouver
Straight from Seattle
Princess Victoria hurried.
She spotted the tug enshrouded in smoke
In the witness of Burnaby Light.

They crossed to the shallows
Steaming Chehalis
Chased by the Princess Victoria.
When neither would yeild, they toyed with the shoals
In the warning of Burnaby Light.

Confined in the narrows
Speed overtaking
Princess Victoria barreled.
The crew of Chehalis adjusted her course
In the hush below Burnaby Light.

Unable to harness
Deadly momentum
Decks through Chehalis were splintered.
Embraced by the waves were eight of her crew
In the shadow of Burnaby Light.

The Lost
--Percy James Chick
--W. Alfred Bertrand Hutton
--Mamie Louise Bryce
--Charles Barnett Benwell
--William Harrison Crawford
--Morishima
--Yama
--Mah Hing

(This post is a collaboration with Sandra Ruttan. She took the gorgeous picture and filled me in on the history of this monument, which stands in Stanley Park on Brockton Point, Vancouver Harbor. On July 21, 1906, in the waters pictured, the express steamer Princess Victoria collided with, and sank, the wooden steam tug Chehalis. Half of her crew were lost. The disaster resulted in new ordinances prohibiting the passing of ships inside Burnaby Light. Many thanks, Sandra!!)

What Fictional Character are You?

I usually don't post quiz results (although I admit to taking them!), but this one is just too funny. Keeps with my current sci-fi theme. Who am I?
Jean-Luc Picard

An accomplished diplomat who can virtually do no wrong, you sometimes know it is best to rely on the council of others while holding the reins.

There are some words which I have known since I was a schoolboy. "With the first link, the chain is forged. The first speech censored, the first thought forbidden, the first freedom denied, chains us all irrevocably." These words were uttered by Judge Aaron Satie -- as a wisdom, and warning. The first time any man's freedom is trodden on, we're all damaged.

I'm honored! Thanks, Linda for pointing me to this one.

An Intriguing New Blog

A kindred spirit has reached across cyberspace and taken a stroll through the cemeteries I've shared here in The Clarity of Night.

Going under the name epgraves, his blog Beneath East Point Georgia is dedicated to the exploration and preservation of southern graveyards. If that weren't cool enough, he has begun a new blog whose theme is even closer to my heart. He has taken old family histories and recast them as compelling vignettes and narratives. Those of you who've been with me since the beginning may remember my post Piano Sonata for the Dead. Visit this new site, Southern Shades, and you will uncover a similar doorway to the past.

Time travel is rare. I encourage you to take the opportunity.

(And please be sure to drop a comment if you go. Thanks!)

History of Pipe Music: The Retreat

The Great Highland Bagpipes of Scotland have a mighty voice. Something mystical in them resonates in the Earth and air and reaches miles across the countryside. For this reason, the bagpipes were originally an instrument of communication and war: a signal to your troops and cry of terror to the hearts of the enemy.

Long ago, when battles were still met by great armies on foot, the pipers would lead. Such was the advance at the battle of Vittoria in the Napoleonic wars, when the British commander, the Marquis of Wellington, won a great victory. Still preserved by the Scots Guard today, the musical piece "The Heroes of Vittoria" commemorates that day. It's musical form is a retreat, once used to signal troop movements, but later becoming a nostalgic form to honor the fallen. Retreats are always written in 3/4 time.

In military life, retreats were often played in the evening. They signaled a quiet time, perhaps a call to bed. I will play "The Heroes of Vittoria" for you now (thanks to technology, a duet with myself). Close you eyes and imagine the twilight. Think of great deeds and loss. Think of the tragedy of war.

CLICK TO PLAY

(Played on the John Walsh Shuttle Pipes--an experiment with new audio mixing software)

Cemetery Symbolism: The Lamb

Victorian cemetery art incorporated elaborate symbolism to convey the hopes and sorrows of those left behind.

The Lamb: Symbolizing innocence and gentleness. The death of a child.

Note the highly stylized and ornate artwork. The statuette is recessed in an otherwise normal stone. I've now seen two separate examples of intricate patterns available in this time period for children. Each could be called over-decorated and must have been quite expensive. Yet, I can understand their appeal. Anything to give comfort to a child left alone.

Inscription:
"She is not dead, but sleepeth."

Reverse:
Anna Clara M
Daughter of
John S & Mary D
Mooney
Died
August 27, 1861
11 years 9 months
20 days

(St. Peters United Church of Christ, West Pikeland Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania)

Winter's Bend

The road streches further than memory.

Here, they dragged an ancient forest and beat down the rocks and soil. A new forest grew. I climb the mountain with legs like theirs and sometimes still find their tools.

So much they didn't understand. So much more they knew.

The Two Barns (Fiction)

I'm happy to announce that uber cool author Kelly Parra has posted my newest piece, "The Two Barns," on her fiction blog, Fictional Musings (link to the right). Please hop over by clicking the link below. Be sure to leave a comment to let me know you were there. Thanks!

THE TWO BARNS

The Lonely Ones

So many of them.
Their stones no different than the others.
Yet harshly different. They sleep so quietly.
I contemplate them one by one.
M.S.---G.G.---B.S.---E.M.
I visit H.K. below.
Entire lives crushed into initials.
I want to give them more.



(St. Peters United Church of Christ, West Pikeland Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania)