Donovan “Catch the Wind “
Donovan Philips Leitch was born in Scotland in 1946. His influence on the world music scene has been much ignored. He has an amazing output of albums and singles. His track “Sunshine Superman” was said to influence the Beatles St Peppers album and he is credited with teaching Lennon and McCartney a finger picking style of playing which was used extensively on the White album.
Although the music press were very dismissive of him labeling him “The British Dylan” he had a very distinctive style of his own. He lives near Cork in Ireland and has five children including being a step father to Brian Jones’ son Julien.
I picked “Catch the Wind” and as I listened I remembered a morning when I was taking my granddaughter to her primary school. It was the title “Catch the wind” that made me think of her. It is that innocence of childhood that makes all things possible even the impossible.
The world is all wonder and discovery to the young and as we get old we can become weary and cynical. It’s a path I sometimes stray down but try and avoid as much as possible.
If you would like to listen to an audio version of the poem click here
School Run
Her parents have already left for work
After making porridge and toast
We share a story
She reads the words
I add my thoughts to the prose
I plead and she prevaricates
Her hair is platted and teeth brushed
Shoe laces are tied and her coat buttoned
The satchel is found and lunch packed
Together we walk to school
Her hand trusts mine
The world is all wonder to her
The magma beneath our feet
The snails in the crevices of the wall
How her and Ben will wear matching wedding dresses
We enter the school gates
She spies a friend and runs off
I stand with the
Carers clutching coffees
The cycling lycra clad dads
Heavy footed grandparents
The unbrushed and the rushed
The reluctant and the hesitant
All waiting for the bell to break the spell
©Jeff Price April 2017
