Llancayo Mill

Myfanwy Haycock (1913-1963) - Born in Pontnewynydd, Gwent

Beyond the tufty- fingered hedge.
Across the misty meadow.
The old mill rises in a wedge
Of silver shadow.
Like some old woman dozing there
Beside the drowsy river
With straggling straw-threads in her hair
And bones a-shiver
She mumbles grumbles with a frown
At every drifting year-
Hush! With a rush there clatters down
A stony tear
She hears no more the taunting howls
Of twisted windy laughter
Nor heeds the haunting hoots of owls
From crumbling rafter:
And while she dumbly, glumly grieves
That she is grey and old
Her thick green shawl of ivy leaves
Keep out the cold
She sits where she has always sat
And though her head is bent
She wears a seagull on her hat
As ornament
Her moss-patched skirt is faded brown
Her dull eyes dimly peer-
Hush! with a rush there clatters down
Another tear!
Across the fields the old old mill,
With sleepy senile wits,
Through summers heat and winters chill
Just sits and sits and sits.

 

Myfanwy Haycock (1913-1963) – Born in Pontnewynydd, Gwent (formerly Monmouthshire)

Sent to us by Mr. John Wilson, Rogerstone, S. Wales