Notes & Images from England, Ireland, and Sweden

August was a busy month. Weddings, time with family and friends, and exploring cities we’ve never been.

A wide view of the Long Room of Trinity College's Old Library.
The Long Room of Trinity College’s Old Library in Dublin.

* * *

In the presence of old
The accumulation of words
Ideas fast asleep
Preserved among dust

I sat and stared
Thought about now
The files we discard
In a new type of trash

* * *

Spiral staircase in the Long Room of Trinity College's library.
Spiral staircase in the Long Room of Trinity College’s Old Library.
Socrates among old books at Trinity College.
Socrates among old books at Trinity College.
An old manuscript at Trinity College.
An old manuscript at Trinity College.
Arnaldo Pomodoro's sculpture in a library courtyard at Trinity College.
Arnaldo Pomodoro‘s sculpture in a library courtyard at Trinity College.
A reflection in Arnaldo Pomodoro's sculpture at Trinity College.
A reflection in the Pomodoro sculpture at Trinity College.

* * *

Reflections in a Pomodoro sphere
A familiar sculpture I’ve seen before
As if each have fallen from the sky
Debris from another time

* * *

A reflection of Trinity College in Arnaldo Pomodoro's spherical sculpture.
Another reflection.
Exchequer Street, Dublin.
Exchequer Street, Dublin.
Kilmainham Gaol, a former prison in Dublin, Ireland.
Kilmainham Gaol, a former prison in Dublin.

* * *

We went to jail
‘Twas cold and damp
Yet another spiral staircase
A site not of forgotten books, but hopes and dreams

* * *

Cobblestone street in Stockholm.
Cobblestone street in Stockholm, Sweden.
Old books at Rockelstad Castle.
Old books at Rockelstad Castle, an hour from Stockholm.
Walking shadow in Stockholm.
Walking shadow in Stockholm, Sweden.

* * *

In Stockholm, we walked and walked
On cobblestones and along the water
A place of islands and castles
Of shadows from a Swedish sun

* * *

Little house in an alley in Stockholm.
Little house in an alley in Stockholm.
A sunny day in Stockholm.
A sunny day in Stockholm.
An alleyway in Stockholm.
An alleyway in Stockholm.
Gorgeous afternoon along the water in Stockholm.
Gorgeous afternoon along the water in Stockholm.
Canoeing and swimming on the lake at Rockelstad Castle.
Canoeing and swimming on the lake at Rockelstad Castle.
A view from the window at Rockelstad Castle.
A view from the window at Rockelstad Castle.
A barn and fence shadows at Rockelstad Castle.
A barn and fence shadows at Rockelstad Castle.
Antiquarian books at Rockelstad Castle.
Antiquarian books at Rockelstad Castle.
A view of Rockelstad Castle.
A view of Rockelstad Castle.

* * *

Once again to London
For street art and soup dumplings
And of course back to Kent
A place I now also call home

* * *

Winston Churchill and (Not-So) Big Ben.
Winston Churchill and Big Ben in London, England.
A door of despair along Brick Lane.
A door of despair along Brick Lane in London.
Mona Lisa, redux. Brick Lane.
Mona Lisa, redux. Brick Lane.
Beatles sighting. Brick Lane.
Beatles sighting. Brick Lane.
Octophant. Brick Lane.
Octophant. Brick Lane.
Brick Lane.
Brick Lane.
Jodi Foster on a street corner. Brick Lane.
Jodi Foster on a street corner. Brick Lane.
Roa. Brick Lane.
Roa. Brick Lane.
Chess at Chilston Park Hotel. Lenham, Kent.
Chess at Chilston Park Hotel. Lenham, Kent.
The bride with the males. Lenham, Kent.
The bride with the males. Lenham, Kent.
Chilston Park Hotel. Lenham, Kent.
Chilston Park Hotel. Lenham, Kent.
Shadows in Leybourne, Kent.
Shadows in Leybourne, Kent.
Lily pads at Hever Castle, Kent.
Lily pads at Hever Castle, Kent.
Hever Castle, Kent.
Hever Castle, Kent.

All photographs above were taken with an iPhone 4s. 

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Published by Cheri Lucas Rowlands

Senior editor at Longreads / Automattic

36 thoughts on “Notes & Images from England, Ireland, and Sweden

  1. I love the Dublin photos – I was at Trinity College a couple of years ago, so it was very interesting to see what photographs you took. I especially like the ones in the library.

  2. Oh my… I just love your pictures! You have a wonderful way of capturing moments and the feeling that is within it <3

  3. Wonderful — those are some of the most stunning photos of TCD I’ve ever seen! Looks like you got one of the thankfully very few rainy days this year, though sadly — it’s never been so sunny in the summer as in ’13!

  4. Love those wonderful pictures. They look great. I can’t believe that you can take beautiful shots with an iPhone.

  5. I’ve just been staying very near Brick Lane this summer – glad you got our camera out here, there’s so much interesting graffiti. Happy travels!

  6. Love your pictures from Trinity College in Dublin. I wasn’t allowed to take pictures while I was there, so it was great seeing those floor-to-ceiling bookshelves again!

  7. Your photos are amazing, do you edit them on your iphone? If so which photo editor do you use, I have tried a few but they’re not that great 🙂 well done!

  8. I have seen some of these images on your Instagram, and loved them. But seeing these images in a post is so wonderful. You have such a great eye for things. And I like what Nick said “Poetographic” approach! 🙂

  9. I can’t believe these photos were taken with an I phone. Amazingly clear. They looking paintings. You have a wonderful eye for photography. Thanks for sharing on your blog.

  10. Thanks for the photos, especially from Stockholm where I used to go when I lived in Paris. I hadn’t seen the city for years, so thanks for sharing a little bit of it with us.

  11. Amazed that you took all of these photos with an iphone, particularly the indoor shots. Melbourne, Australia, where I have lived for three years has lots of street artists. I loved the images you captured.

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