James Mills - Above Rostrevor

Winter brims
over bouldered ground
Above Rostrevor.
Scolding crows strut
awkwardly over hardened
ruts of mud, muttering
throaty discontent.

Louring skies meld
blue lough to green forest.
Needling wind keens
through raftered bones,
once homes,
hewn from ancient granite.

Mourne claims her own,
over and over,
defeating generations.

Hasp and staple,
galvanised against the sleekit mist,
defend rude-lintelled doors.

Who comes?

Only ghosts of emigrants,
wraiths of mountainy men
whose quick selves
coaxed poor life
from these pale, barren hills
above Rostrevor.

James Mills

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/above-rostrevor/