Poem of the month - September 2008

Long Ago In a house I visited when I was young I looked in through a partly opened door. An old man sang ‘Long Ago and Far Away’ To a rocking-horse, a friend’s grandfather Whose first-born son was lost at sea Half-a-century In a ship whose name I have forgotten. Whenever that sad song is played or sung I’m in that house again, by that same door. A woman tugs my sleeve. ‘Come away,’ She says. ‘Leave him alone.’ He sings, but he’s no longer there. The rocking horse is rocking like the sea. Ocean is everywhere And the room is wind and rain. Douglas Dunn From New Selected Poems 1964 – 2000 (Faber & Faber, 2003) Poem supplied courtesy of the Scottish Poetry Library

About the Poet Douglas Dunn has published many collections of poems, the most recent being New Selected Poems (Faber and Faber, 2003).  He retires as Professor of English at St Andrews at the end of September.

Inspiration for poem 'Long Ago' is based on a childhood memory of a visit to friends of my parents.