Starlight by the Barrow

Starlight by the Barrow is the latest initiative from Barrowfull. Their mission is to, “Co-create exceptional arts and cultural activity with the people of Barrow working in partnerships with local, national and international examples of excellent, socially engaged creative practice and sharing our own action learning in turn.” It is part of the national Creative People and Places programme. 

Written in the Stars is a series of writing workshops being led by friends of mine on the Barrow-in-Furness literary scene. Kate Davies asked me to contribute a poem to use in one of her workshops and this is it. I compare the relationship between Sirius and the constellation of Orion with my memories of walking my dog over the Barrow slag bank at night. The slag bank has now been reclaimed for nature. Along with the Rezza, it is a physical reminder of the steelworks that was part of the drive that turned Barrow-in-Furness from a tiny hamlet into a boom town of the Industrial Revolution.

A big thank you to Kate for some very helpful suggestions which I included in the final edit.

SIRIUS
Darkness deepens in the shadows 
where gorse is growing and my dog roams free  

I turn to seek Orion	hunting the southern sky   
with the Dog Star leashed to his belt

The moon has gone about its business
leaving stars undimmed against the dome
that arches from Black Combe to Morecambe Bay

A pale shadow drags my eyes to earth 
pursuing a barn owl silently sifting its way
through the rough turf falling towards the cliff

while I the follow the path 
sliding silvery over the slag bank
and my dog follows me

Mike Stanton 21/01/2026