“Kings of the Hill” by Roy Carr
Stare
a poem by Rachel Carney in response to ‘Kings of the Hill’ by Roy Carr
Hooves sunk in the snow,
they ruminate
in their world of white hills,
barbed wire and far horizons.
They munch on frozen grass and
stare at this anomaly –
this strange contraption
balanced on three legs,
a black hole
where the face should be.
Reflections on the Writing Process
“This photograph is one of several from Roy Carr’s exhibition that have a strange otherworldly quality. I kept coming back to this particular image, struck by the colours – blue and white, and the beauty of the snow, perhaps partly because I’m writing this in what has now become a rather warm and muggy June. The more I looked at the photograph, the more alien it seemed to become, revealing a quiet, rural world, entirely different from the one in which I live. I began to imagine what the sheep might be thinking, and that’s when it occurred to me how they might view the photographer as a strange interloper, appearing on the other side of the fence.”
You can explore Roy’s online exhibition “A Year in the Life”, here.
About the Virtual Poet in Residence
This poem is part of a series written during the Coronavirus pandemic, in response to online exhibitions, and blog post research undertaken by artists and volunteers in partnership with Cynon Valley Museum. You can read more of Rachel Carney’s work during this residency over on the Poet in Residence page. Rachel is a poet, book blogger and PhD student, and she’s also spent several years working in museums. Her PhD research explores the benefits of using creative writing in art museums, and she’s particularly interested in examining the writing process. You can find out more about her work and PhD on her blog.
The Cynon Valley Museum Trust, like so many others during this pandemic, have suffered a loss of income. We are working hard behind the scenes to fundraise as well as provide options to explore the Cynon valley’s heritage, art, and culture, through projects such as this Residency. If you enjoyed this and would like to support us more, please consider making a donation. You can do so by following this link.
