One of the things I love about Helen’s weekly prompt to share a song is the glimpse it gives me into the lives of people in different countries. This week’s theme – a song about the armed forces – is inspired by the fact that it’s Memorial Day in the United States. I’d never heard of this before, but thanks to Helen and Wikipedia I now know that it’s a federal holiday at the end of May to honour those who died while serving in the armed forces. Continue reading
Poetry
They Went to Sea in a Sieve
Edward Lear was born on this day in 1812. In case you didn’t know, he’s the writer of what has been called “the nation’s favourite poem”, The Owl and the Pussycat. (I presume in this case “the nation” in question is England, rather than the UK, as I can’t imagine that the Scots would choose Lear over Burns, or the Welsh rate him ahead of Dylan Thomas, but that’s another matter).
Lord Byron: my 19th Century Celebrity Crush
When we two parted
In silence and tears
Half broken hearted
To sever for years
Pale grew thy cheek, and cold
Colder thy kiss
Truly that hour foretold
Sorrow to this.
The Girls In My Backyard (alternate version)
My blogger friend Peter of Peter’s Ponderings recommended this blog to me – I clicked on the link and found this lovely poem, which made me cry so I’m sharing it!
The girls in my back yard
Are running to and fro:
They’re dashing through a sprinkler,
And laughing as they go
The grass is green and rich,
The fence is high and far;
There’s brewing tea out in the sun
Inside a big glass jar
My wife is at my side,
We’re watching the “stampede” –
We see the world, and it is good.
There’s nothing left to need
The girls in my back yard:
My God, I love them so,
Though they grew up and moved away
So many years ago
Yes, long ago they laughed,
Along with my late wife —
From this back door, I hear, and feel
What used to be
My life
No Man is an Island – John Donne
No man is an island,
Entire of itself.
Each is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less.
As well as if a promontory were.
As well as if a manor of thine own
Or of thine friend’s were.
Each man’s death diminishes me,
For I am involved in mankind.
Therefore, send not to know
For whom the bell tolls,
It tolls for thee. Continue reading
Upon Westminster Bridge, Sept 3 1802
Monet, Houses of Parliament from Wikimedia Commons
Earth has not anything to show more fair:
Dull would he be of soul who could pass by
A sight so touching in its majesty:
This City now doth like a garment wear Continue reading
“In Time of the Breaking of Nations” – Thomas Hardy
Only a man harrowing clods
In a slow silent walk
With an old horse that stumbles and nods
Half asleep as they stalk
