Winchester News Online
The beauty in nature that we miss – Keats in Winchester
The red-breast whistles from a garden croft.
Keats – ‘To Autumn’ (32)
It’s the autumn of 1819, and a young poet is taking his daily walk through Winchester.
On pathways that modern residents know well, he notices the smallest details, from the gnats at the riverbanks, to the “rosy hue” of the water meadows at sunset.
John Keats comes to the hospital of St Cross, the sound of the river flowing following wherever he goes.
The scent of grass and the gentle hum of crickets play the music of nature.
Leaves crunch underfoot as I follow in his footsteps, the rain coming in soft cycles, and it’s remarkable how little this route has changed.
While not explicitly mentioned, the ancient capital of Anglo-Saxon England can easily be felt between each of the lines, which flow like the River Itchen that Keats would have walked by.
Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn
Among the river sallows, borne aloft
Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies.
Keats – ‘To Autumn’ (27-29)
I’m guided through the walk by Sue de Salis, the chair of the Winchester Area Tour Guides Association.
She argues that Keats “helps people to see things they wouldn’t otherwise see” – from a tiny snail slowly creeping across a leaf triple its size, to a robin perched on a branch in the shadows of Winchester Cathedral.
Often, To Autumn is interpreted as a poem about dying, but in a way that sees the innate beauty in it.
It uses heavy contrast and double meanings, such as the mist and “mellow fruitfulness”, creating a serene yet bittersweet feeling for the reader.
Autumn is, in some ways, warmer than spring, Sue tells me.
Even on a simply surface level; the red and orange hues that wash over the treeline resemble the warmth of the fireplace as the cold, long nights set in.
But, in a deeper way, although the temperatures are dropping, one is easily reminded of the cosy feelings of knitted jumpers instead of sundresses and cinnamon rolls in favour of Easter eggs.
It can be quite easy to forget to appreciate the little things, and as the days grow short and cold and wet, stopping on our walks to watch swans in the river or laughing as we get drenched in a surprise shower doesn’t come to mind.
A lesson that Keats can teach us, between his “flowery” poems and his letters praising Winchester for it’s fresh air, worth ‘sixpence a pint’, is to slow down.
Especially in the social media age, where some people even show signs of addiction to their smartphones, the next few months may be a perfect time to appreciate the natural beauty around us.
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For summer has o’er-brimm’d their clammy cells.
Keats – ‘To Autumn’ (9-11)
We should also be wary that the autumn we experience isn’t the same as Keats’ – the UK experience a “false autumn” this year, where leaves fall and berries ripen before the end of summer, and many people wonder if the change between summer and winter is as smooth as it was even two decades ago.
Taking in our surroundings as they are now, on walks such as the Keats’ Trail, or in National Parks such as South Downs, can ground us and help us reconnect with nature.
In a way, To Autumn is not only an ode to the death we see in nature as the seasons transition from summer to winter, but it was also the last major work that Keats completed before his own untimely death at age 25.
There’s almost a sense of finality in his words; the acceptance that the lambs of spring are “full-grown”, the clouds spread over the “soft-dying day”, and there is a consistent imagery of death and mourning .
The first half of the season has been a good combination of good showing that is close. The Harriers are doing well, but they realize they have to do better going forward to get further up the track. And with a handful of key games in the pipeline, the second half of the season will be the deciding factor in whether they can convert effort into yet another win.
On the sidelines, the club is readying for changes. After ten seasons at Oasis Academy, the Hampshire Harriers will shift to Apple More Health and Leisure in Dibden to play games as funding for the team increases and costs climb.
The squad remains focused on performance despite difficulties they may face on the court or off it. “We’ve played really well, even in the matches we lost this season,” said club representative David Morgan. “We have produced good numbers and we have that to give us hope. Some days, we’ve just been getting close (tied up) and things haven’t gone our way. We also will be moving to Apple More Health and Leisure in Dibden, which we will have to get used to. The biggest thing is that we keep our heads, we stay together, and we go through it as a team. If we work hard and remain unified the results will come.”
The venue at Oasis Academy has been a significant contributor to the Harriers’ growth over the last 10 years. It’s also given them stability and a good local presence. While this is the close of a lengthy chapter the club will continue its quest for further progression and play both on and off the playing floor.
The Harriers expect a good run into the next half of the season as they near critical moments. As that stage of the season comes in, they want the season to continue on well. And whatever obstacles lie in the way they just want to end their fight and finish up the campaign well powered through.
What do fireworks and iguanas from Costa Rica have in common?
Within the cork-bored walls of a Church hosted an Iris tucked delicately next to a divine landmark of Winchester.
Or maybe you might prefer the TV display with an elderly man thinking whether ‘to smile or not to smile’, or the Sandhurst Passing Out Parade.
With a white dahlia and friendly faces that were willing to greet you at the door.
From DSLRs to the cameras we keep in our pockets, this was the magic that was The Bishops Waltham Photography Society’s annual exhibition.
Boasting around 55 members, from ‘seasoned amateurs’ to those with newly bought cameras, the showcase has been running for 13 years, and is consistently held in the United Church.
The society, starting in 2008, was created by a small group of people who wished to share their passion for the life behind the lens with those in the local area.
For those under 16, do not fret, as the society also hosts a Junior Competition for those living within the local parishes. Those who were placed received a certificate from the Mayor of Winchester.
If you enjoyed a particular photograph, for example, the macro shots of black and white beauty which hosted a trio of unforgettable sights, you may liaise with the creator to buy the print. There were also cards for sale, with a portion of the proceeds going back to the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance.
So whether your fancy is taken by the Northern Lights or a red-eyed tree frog, the Bishop’s Watlham Photographic Society Annual exhibition is one to keep on your to-do list.
ITS TIME!!
The festive period is truly upon us.
The Cathedral is the home of Christmas in Winchester, and this year they are branching out their events.
They are no stranger to a Christmas concert, but this year they have arranged their first ever interactive concert.
A Christmas cracker concert – a celebration of music, traditional literature and community, personifying the meaning of Christmas.
Lay Clerk Simon Irwin worked with Reverend Canon Andrew Micklefield worked together to create a night of entertainment, they hosted the event as a duo, creating a new dynamic for the cathedral.
The Christmas Cracker Concert bought a new audience in, people of all ages and faiths, coming together in a moment of reflection in a different perspective to usual.
Many people see the cathedral as simply a home for those who follow the Christian faith, but the cathedral are wanting to welcome more people in to see the beauty within, the Christmas cracker concert steered away from the typical sermon.
With iconic Christmas songs, from Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want for Christmas is You’ to ‘O Come All Ye Faithful’ and a combined effort to fill the cathedral with a loud rendition of the 12 days of Christmas.
It wasn’t just Christmas songs being bought to life but a reading from Charles Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’, the Lay Clerks bought to life the Christmas classic.
They were joined also by the Girl Choristers for some more traditional songs, the audience were wowed by the raw talent echoing through the navel of the cathedral.
The evening was a great success with both Simon and Andrew telling me they hoped to host more events like this in the future to welcome in more diverse audiences.
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