FriendBurst Blog

This was written to the image below, our featured picture on the CPC Simple Sunday Picture Challenge.

It is by Portuguese artist Andres Rocha and is titled “Forgotten Places”

VIEW TO A CUE

Off the coast of Ballantrae
through frothy mists, some sailors say
they see a ruin on a cliff
as their ship passes Findlay Frith

Aboard some vessels, yarns are told
of bonny Scotland’s days of old
when Pictish pride built castle walls
to deter Viking raiders’ calls.

The ruin, it is widely thought
resulted from defenders caught;
surprised by sacking party’s stealth
from landside, hungry to gain wealth.

Later, the fortress was attacked,
its walls torn down and inside sacked
by Anglo-Saxons’ thegn assault
too powerful for Scots to halt.

Then lay the ruins by the coast
no more to tribal toastings host;
no lamb or beef in firepit roast,
though some say there’s a haunt-in ghost.

Copyright September 2nd 2013 RGD
Inspired by the artpiece “Forgotten Places” by Andres Rocha