Sunday 12 December 2010

Metal Detecting Pome

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In case anyone had any doubts, Nigel Swift of Heritage Action has a way with words. I am glad he's on my side and not the collectors'. A few days ago he published a nice online response to "a pome what a metal detectorist wrote" on Heritage Journal. In it he put one of his own which I reproduce here:
The quiet man of metal detecting.

Here I lie, no longer flesh or even dust.
Yet here I lie, in signs that tell
That once there was a man
Like you. Who lived and laughed.

I am no less than you, for having gone,
Nor are my rights the less.
I am a man like you and ask
Only that my life is not denied.

Yet here you dig, in blind and selfish haste,
Smashing every clue but one
Because it glints a little
And feeds your avaricious taste.

Now, that is all I am,
That bling within your grubby palm.
What now? What will you do
To save me from oblivion?

Take it home in secret? Make it shine?
Show it to your mates with swelling pride?
Claim a right to hoard a husk of history
As if to say that history is yours not mine?

Now I happen to know he has more... Perhaps out there are people creating paintings or graphics on related themes . It would be fantastic if somebody could gather them all together and publish them as a commentary on artefact collecting in aid of a good heritage cause. Any nominations for quality inclusions ? I am sure there are some artists among the FLOs. Maybe some of Phil Barker's oil paintings, where are they?

2 comments:

Paul Barford said...

Which is...?

What 'hierachy" is that, then?

Did you understand the pome?

Anonymous said...

Paul, honestly I'm touched, thank you so much for your kind words - which my kids tell me are completely undeserved, but I'm not so sure. ;)

As for "Tony" someone once said (John Osborne?) "We are not trying to entertain the critics. I'll take my chances with the public.”

I guess this is true of all our critics, yours and mine - who all seem very active just now (has there been an Exploitation Summit somewhere?) I amuse myself by trying to work out which of the two divisions they are in - the Ryman's League (who either can't or won't understand what's wrong with what they do) and the Premiership - who know exactly what they are doing and are willing to say absolutely anything to anyone to protect their big financial stakes in the activity.

 
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