(I took this photo recently and it reminded me of this poem.
I wrote it as a kind of Psalm of praise to God for Ballycastle, where we spend so much of our leisure time.
The first verse is standing where the river meets the sea in Ballycastle. The second verse was written as I showed a few American friends around Dunluce castle. I was looking out the gap of an old window and
one of the stones of the castle ruins was the same shape as the Giant’s Causeway,
sitting round the coast in the direction that I was looking.
The Angel’s Share is the aroma that wafts off the vats at the Bushmills’ whiskey distillery. I
named my last night chat show at Greenbelt that for a few years. Rich Mullins’
song Colour Green was the idea for the last verse…)
The moon is walking on the water
From her home above Fair Head
Like a light bulb lit up in heaven
Much more beautiful without a lamp shade
Like a ballerina she shimmers across
Just gently skimming off the dance floor
Gliding on the waves in her yellow dress
Before waltzing up along the seashore
And two gulls shooting the evening breeze
How they spent there day and where
And alone I stand in epiphany
Breathing in the angel’s share.
I’m gazing out the eastern window
To these ancient walls rich seam
Born in a clash of volcano and sea
Erupting from the sculptor of heaven’s dreams
And west, I see a painting hangs
Of eternal colour and deepest mystery
Six short days to set up the canvas
Then sketching on by the numbers of history
And friends are taking photographs
Faded imitations of what is there
And alone I stand in epiphany
Breathing in the angel’s share.
From where in your imagination came waves caressing
Where in eternity did you think blue sea
From where the depth and breadth of ocean
And where did you come up with me
From where in your imagination came the sun descending
Where in eternity did you think red sky
From where did you conjure the dream of love
And the idea that you’d have to die
The idea that you’d have to die
The idea that God would have to die.