Iron Angel - Blythburgh
Outside a hidden foundry
The iron angel drew me to her
Magnetic gaze,
Empty eyes fastened on mine.
Metal feathers so finely beaten,
Their cold, hard touch
A surprise.
Looking soft and warm,
I could almost hear
Adjustments of feathers,
Preening and shaking
Into alignment,
Into place
Uncoloured,
Natural rusting and tempering
Had given the angel sheens,
Brown, silver, grey and rust red.
Yet I cannot truly say
What colours they were
Probably a heavenly mix
Of shading, of grading
Too fine for me,
Too difficult to place the words
Accurately.
Set up near the great church,
I imagine its wings
Spread golden in a setting sun,
Its empty eyes fixed on me
As I stand and gaze
Remembering
My first vision,
My first amazed gasp.
The feathered wings,
Then as now,
About to wrap me within them.
Pulling me close,
Stopping my breath,
Closing my eyes.
Richard has also written an article about The Blythburgh Angel and how it was created.
Some Favourite Websites For September 2026:
Rookyard Cottage, Holton – Eco-friendly self-catering cottage near Halesworth with private heated indoor swimming pool available
Set in over two acres Valley Farm offers two self-catering cottages, Rookyard Cottage and Swallow Barn, both with eco-friendly features and each sleeping up to four people + cot. Rated AA 4 Stars. WiFi. Private heated indoor swimming pool available. Ten miles from seaside at Southwold. Pets not accepted.
Singtong Neeyom Thai Restaurant – Delicious authentic Thai Cuisine
Take a look at Singtong Neeyom Thai Restaurant in the centre of Halesworth, for a range of delicious and skillfully prepared Thai dishes created by their own native Thai, Piek.
St James South Elmham Village – An ancient and deeply rural village in north-east Suffolk.
St. James South Elmham is a rural village with a strong community and a host of regular community events. Agriculture is at the core of village life and still comes right into its centre. Nowadays, the high-speed broadband service supports farming and family life, and many other activities, services and businesses besides.
Stoneware Birds – Life-sized handmade and unique British birds, now available to buy online.
A charming unique gift or a treat for oneself. See the website to know how each one is made. Now available to buy online. Each bird is an individual creation, varying in choice from the perky wren to the plump bullfinch together with other well-loved British birds. Which will you choose?
Hetty’s Little Copy Shop – A wide range of printing services - including 3D - plus passport photos and more
The Little Copy Shop is in Thoroughfare, Halesworth, and offers all sorts of useful services involving printing, laminating, scanning, binding and copying plus various photographic services including passport photos.