There it was, that sound, like a stick dragged down a comb – twice,
Would it be that I would see my quarry – I had four days so to do.
It had sounded so close, crreek-crreek , there it was again,
Look! over there, the sound came from there – nothing.
The evening was bright so I went for a walk, bins to hand.
Passing a field the sound exploded from the grass –crreek-crreek;
Quick look there, no only the movement of the grass in the wind
Hiding any movement of this elusive creature.
The boat went up and down, would we be able to land
On Staffa’s shore near the cave where Fingal reigned .
Yes we could so off I went in search of the clowns
That fly across the sea with rapid beat of wings.
Yet there again came this sound that was haunting me
This time some way away, but even here on this deserted land.
Up I climbed to the top of the cliff and sat on the grass
Hoping my silence would allow the clowns to come close.
Here they come wings all a flutter and land at my feet
Without any care, carrying fish in their widened beaks
So trusting these little black and white auks
With multicoloured coloured bills that bring a smile to your face.
I leave my new found friends to their precarious lives
The sandeels are now hard to find due to the greed of this world
So these friendly small birds so trusting of me
May one day not return from the sea.
Back we go to Iona’s beach, the Abbey looking on as we land.
Tomorrow we are to pilgrimage around this heavenly island.
So once more this evening when dinner is done
I’ll go and look for this creature, that mocks me from all over.
Back went I to the field where I heard them before
There’s the sound of, one, two, three even four
Rasping their call from all over this place but not to be seen
Even though they sound so close to my ears.
There! What’s that out in the middle? Is that a head
That I can just perceive of the bird that has mocked me
Throughout these last few days of my trip to this Isle.
No can’t be sure, so can’t be a tick on my list ever growing.
Off on the pilgrimage round this blessed land
With a song to Our Lord sung by all who attend
We stop on occasion to mark each place
With readings and prayer so full of Grace
After many an hour travailing this land
We come to the Chapel of St Oran
And here mid this dark and the prayer filled Church
I am struck by my God. Have I ended my search?
This feeling of power just overwhelms me
Although the Corncrake I have still yet to see
My God has taken me straight to his heart
And I am aware of his magnificent power.
I came to Iona with others who felt that they knew their God
and needed solace in this spiritual place
I came feeling the same until I heard that sound – crreek-crreek
So I started a different journey from the one I had started.
The Journey was stopped in no uncertain way
In that tiny Chapel on that glorious day when God came to me
To show he was with me and always would be
Thank you Lord for reminding me of you
It is said that the veil between Heaven and Earth
On Iona’s land is spread very thin;
I say that the veil does not even begin
Iona and Heaven have shown me their worth.
So the Corncrake eluded me again this time
But I found my God with a feeling so powerful
That it changed my life, I now know for the better.
Now all I need to find is the work God wants me for.