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Improving Human Experience through Neighbourhood Regeneration
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Authors: Dhanya Rajagopal, Elinor Seath
Visit Website: www.ramsgreatxid.co.uk
Photo: Ravens
My Favourite Ramsgate Experiences
‘Walking on the beach’
‘Gigs at the Ramsgate music hall’
‘Dancing in the streets’
‘Christmas lights on the boats’
‘The energy of the people’
‘Friendliness’
‘Sense of possibility’
‘Coastal urban landscape/ natural landscape’
‘Outdoor opportunities for children’
‘Bird song’
‘Climbing the tower in St Georges Church’
‘The spot behind Harbour Brasserie’
‘Transformative’
by Sarah Tate
I
If a place has a spirit, what is here,
What smiles and nooks and tunes of haunts re-sound
Through Ramsgate-town; what moorings clung and dear
To us who walk this edge, this chalk-flint ground?
What cares and breaths and complex coulds and can'ts
And don'ts or shalls may carry us around
With old-new steps to brace the winds of chance?
If stones have a spark, what embers hold our now,
What glimmers to guard, what firesides to dance?
Strip back the layers, pen the whens and where
Of birds or rams or someone's gate or thing,
Peel off worn labels, new-gladden the air
Above our gap - our beat to glide, and sing.
II
From far, and here, they've come to flock a gap, Brick-build a Roman quay, libate a cup
Or oars to yank to noise-flung thund'rous claps With Saints to chant a fast or silent sup
And scripts to shine a route through way-fared pasts To honour then - and then move on - adapt.
Of heritage, be proud - and learn, at last, That coming next is rich with promises borne Of hopes that came before; landed; stuck fast
And true within our sea-faced harboured home With lines to etch our cluster-up of streets
Wherein we shelter; rest up and, thought full, roam.
Above our town a soaring, circling, beat:
Notes on the breeze dropped from a Raven's beak.
If we summon the spirit of Raven
We have choices to face, eggs to new-break
To see the real grit beyond a haven's
Sun-blind lull, for our Raven once did speak
To those with ears and bravely-open hearts Who scribbled-up a verse to grow or wreak A different walk; talk-up a poet's craft
To find the bird's-eye view*,** the what-could-be.*
For Ramsgate needs our care - our faith, and art
To stop the rot and raze and raise once more.
The spirit of Raven is free and bold
As we upon this old bewildered shore -
Craving protection beneath a wing's folds,
Heeding the warnings in old Raven's scold.
III
Oh spirit of Raven we thus beseech - Give us the gift of airy, lofted, sight
To fix our aim within a focused reach,
Preen-out our loss, splash our faces with light. Oh spirit of Ramsgate we thus invoke
Your aid; to feather a High Street clean, and bright, Safe streets for folk on walks once strung with rope And now in need of graft, in need of grace.
Oh spirit of our town, thus provoked, Claw us a roost in this cross-roady place
To share a give of play and thought; to gaze
A trail to lead us - and them - and you - a-pace.
Old Raven, if you're with us, hear our say - New Bird, hold our spirit: nurture our days.
Further Reading and Background
Reference Links