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The Aqueduct

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Published: 16th February 2024

YouTube video of The Aqueduct at Chirk in North Wales ("Escape for a minute / Chirk") courtesy of Canal And River Trust.

Inspired by a visit to Chirk, North Wales in 2020 after a Covid lockdown had been lifted.

A moment of solace during a time of great sadness.

where ten arches span time across the ceiriog valley sheep graze in green pastures 'neath a welsh / english sky while the narrowboats above steer the canal of llangollen in the heat of high summer's still quiet waters by.

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Hilda Greenhough

Date: 2/27/2024 1:35:00 PM

I've heard that Wales is very beautiful. It has a lot of history plus "the real king" lives there (Don't take that comment seriously). This was a pastoral poem of enchantment.

Gary Radice
Date: 2/27/2024 2:21:00 PM

Hi Hilda. Wales is lovely. It's home to the village with a very long name too: Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch :) Your comment about 'the real king' had me googling and I found out that his name was Gruffudd ap Llywelyn. Having emerged as king of North Wales in 1039 he waged a bloody war to conquer the south-west of the country too. Whether he was the king you were referring to or not, many thanks for that..I found out something new tonight. :) Cheers - Gary

Kim Rodrigues

Date: 2/26/2024 10:38:00 AM

Bringing us into Welsh country! :)

Kim Rodrigues
Date: 2/26/2024 4:41:00 PM

LOL…neither do I but I appreciate! :)

Gary Radice
Date: 2/26/2024 1:25:00 PM

Kim, diolch i chi am eich ymweliad. rydym yn byw llai nag awr i ffwrdd o Ogledd Cymru ac wrth ein bodd yn ymweld yno. That's Welsh for: "Kim, thank you for your visit. We live less than an hour away from North Wales and love visiting there." :) ..Thanks to Google translation for that as I don't speak a word of Welsh. :) Cheers - Gary

Tony Hargreaves

Date: 2/25/2024 10:36:00 AM

Hi Gary. Many thanks for this. Lovely poem and the video clip. Raiway or canal crossing the valley, must stay on the level. I see you sent comment on my latest poem. But then tweaked my poem a bit. I'd missed out a full stop or something. And then find your comment gone. It hasn't happened before. Think the soup rules must have changed. Best wishes. Tony

Gary Radice
Date: 2/25/2024 11:32:00 AM

Thanks for your lovely comments Tony. I'll Soupmail you about the mystery disappearance as I'm scratching my head as to what's gone on. If my comment has disappeared I'll rewrite it. Take care. Cheers - Gary

Duke Beaufort

Date: 2/25/2024 4:58:00 AM

Gary, I read all the comments below and watched he video. I think your poem is an expression of the grief associated with covid based on the expressions used from prayers, and it celebrates the relief of being in an open and more safe space. It was not that long ago that we suffered the fear and loss from that pandemic. It's a pleasure to see such a beautiful and historic place and many thanks for sharing it at this time. It takes us back, which we need more of in these times.

Gary Radice
Date: 2/25/2024 5:55:00 AM

Thank you Duke. You've summed up my poem to a tee. The visit to the aqueduct and watching the narrowboats was like going back in time. I sometimes think life is too fast today so it was lovely just to slow down and have the time to think and reflect. Cheers - Gary

Sara Kendrick

Date: 2/22/2024 5:28:00 AM

I like this one. It made me think. Wondering how often a person/s got sick from drinking the water before humans learned to treat it to prevent illness. Thanks for sharing this winner with us. Way to go. Sara K

Gary Radice
Date: 2/22/2024 9:17:00 AM

That’s an interesting thought Sara. Thank you for your visit and hope all is well. Have a great day. Cheers - Gary

Bill Baker

Date: 2/20/2024 6:20:00 PM

looks like a great way to spend a day to my Gary. Cheers! Bill (soup mail) :-)

Gary Radice
Date: 2/21/2024 2:36:00 AM

Thanks so much Bill for your comments. It was a lovely ‘breath of fresh air’ away from the troubles of lockdown and COVID. Cheers - Gary

Paula Goldsmith

Date: 2/17/2024 12:37:00 PM

I enjoyed reading your "The Aqueduct" write. A wonderful picture/ending. Have a great day.........................

Gary Radice
Date: 2/17/2024 2:27:00 PM

Hi Paula. Thank you for your visit, read and comments on my poem. I'm glad you enjoyed the read. You have a great day too! :) Cheers - Gary

Sam Kauffman

Date: 2/17/2024 10:37:00 AM

Gary, the cadence of your poem is like a Welsh folksong flowing smoothly over "quiet waters." You have such a remarkable ability to take the simplest experiences in life and turn them into memorable poetic artistry. I love your poems about cafes, railways, town squares. What a wonderful ability to bring all of these to life! You have an amazing eye for the poetic in life - a unique gift. I hope there will be a book! Thank you for your notes on the aqueduct! So fun! Blessings and cheers!

Gary Radice
Date: 2/18/2024 2:38:00 AM

2/2 I'll add too, Sam, that I played around with the rather obscure idea of the narrowboats steering / navigating across the valley as a symbol of hope from ‘a source high above’. Cheers - Gary

Gary Radice
Date: 2/17/2024 11:54:00 AM

1/2 Thanks so much Sam. I did at one point contemplate grouping a few poems under the umbrella title of ‘BITSofBRITAIN’ and checking out how the land lay regarding a possible book but nothing came of it and right now I’m more than content leaving things be - besides, many more people read my poems here at The Soup than they would ever do in a book methinks. :) I really appreciate your feedback. When writing this I wanted to insert a couple of references to the hymn ‘The Lord’s My Shepherd’ as a way of paying respect for those who had succumbed to COVID - including a good friend around the time of our visit to Wales. I’m not particularly religious but find comfort in the poetry of various hymns.- Hence there are veiled references of sort from the said hymn in the poem: i.e. sheep (shepherd), still, green pastures and the reference to the “quiet waters by”. Thanks again Sam. Cheers- Gary

Antony Glaser

Date: 2/16/2024 6:27:00 AM

Such strong travelogue imagery

Gary Radice
Date: 2/16/2024 8:49:00 AM

Thanks Antony. Much appreciated. For those who like stats: the Chirk Aqueduct construction: 1796 - 1801 The designer was Thomas Telford. Height: 21m - The aqueduct - not Thomas Telford :) Length: 220m It carries the Llangollen Canal and crosses the Ceiriog Valley. It’s made up of 10 arches. Cheers - Gary

Tom Woody

Date: 2/16/2024 6:24:00 AM

Nice poetic short that combines man's ingenuity with the tranquility of nature. Hope you have a great weekend Gary

Gary Radice
Date: 2/16/2024 8:31:00 AM

Thanks Tom. Have a great weekend yourself. We visited the Chirk aqueduct in 2020 just after the Covid lockdown in the UK had been lifted. We English had to wear masks by law. Thing was, mask wearing wasn’t a law in Wales at the time and the aqueduct straddles both England and Wales. Because we were able to walk along the towpath, we found ourselves taking our masks off while walking in Wales and having to put them back on once back in England! :) Cheers - Gary