Making Palnackie poetry with the U3A

I had my second meeting yesterday with the lively U3A group who've been working on cinquains for the National Scenic Areas Viewpoint Voices Project.  This time we met in Castle Douglas Community Centre, which was less spectacular than the Millenium Viewpoint at Palnackie (but nice and close to a kettle).  As it turns out, the U3A group were particularly well organised when it came to biscuits, with a commendable prediliction for Millionaire's Shortbread, which I must say I noticed the first time we met...

Angela and Marlin discuss their work among the teacups

I was very impressed with the huge amount of work that the group had produced since our first meeting.  We did lots of reading out, and it became clear that the quality of much of the writing was really exciting.  The work echoed the natural beauty of Palnackie, but explored the fragility of its ecology and nuances of its history too.

Don reads out a cinquain and Anna Johnson (NSA Officer) takes a photo

Ken Smyth recorded the Viewpoint Voices for us

Clare Rodgers, from Scottish Book Trust, who have helped to fund these sessions, came with us on our initial visit to Palnackie's beautiful viewpoint, and emailed me her cinquain, so we read it out and recorded it too.  I do like her trees. 

Here it is:

Joy shouts
from the gorse bush
the trees are fresh clean sheets
and the river waits patiently
for life.

Mind you, I had plenty of 'wish I'd written that' moments with this talented group.