Sunday 16 December 2018

Peace On Earth 1918 - An Archive Advent Calendar #16

100 years ago today, Orcadian poet and marine naturalist Robert Rendall received the letter below from Mrs Alexander McKenzie of Stornoway, Lewis. She addresses him as Bro., presumably short for brother, but I think this is because they were both members of the Christian Brethren






Click to enlarge

Orkney Archive Reference D27/7/6










Rendall served in Scapa Flow aboard HMS Imperieuse and wrote the poem below :

 
Orkney After The War

Now from the pool the tide of war recedes
And upon the water's surface filtered falls
The old tranquillity. Wave the green sea-weeds
Fanning their fronds fearless of sudden squalls.
Ols patient limpets scythe the meads aquatic
And rosy crinoids radiate starry twinkles
While hermit crabs with scuttlings acrobatic
Dispute the tenancy of vacant periwinkles.
Merchant anenomes spread their hungry tentacles
And earnest cattie-buckies keep their social conventicles.


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