The Clematis in our front garden is amazing. I took the photo from upstairs.Another pleasing  poem we shared with Ti on our last visit  is also by John Masefield and it has been going round in my head all week. I love the contrasts between the exotic cargoes of the first and second stanzas and  the last which are all so dirty and ‘cheap’ but also very valuable.

Cargoes

Quinquireme of Nineveh from distant Ophir,
Rowing home to haven in sunny Palestine,
With a cargo of ivory,
And apes and peacocks,
Sandalwood, cedarwood, and sweet white wine.

Stately Spanish galleon coming from the Isthmus,
Dipping through the Tropics by the palm-green shores,
With a cargo of diamonds,
Emeralds, amythysts,
Topazes, and cinnamon, and gold moidores.

Dirty British coaster with a salt-caked smoke stack,
Butting through the Channel in the mad March days,
With a cargo of Tyne coal,
Road-rails, pig-lead,
Firewood, iron-ware, and cheap tin trays.