Poetic thoughts . . .

 

As most of my regular readers know, I just love poetry. It has ever been so . . . from the time I was a little girl, poetry has had a special place in my heart.  We had an encyclopedia in our home that my parents scrimped and saved for called the Book of Knowledge.  It came with extra sets of books . . . some Geography ones, Two huge Dictionaries and a set of Literature books with red leather covers.  In those were abridgements of some of the finest pieces of classic literature ever written.

It was in those books my love of poetry began I think . . . with the words of Walt Whitman in "Leaves of Grass."

“Not I, nor anyone else can travel that road for you.
You must travel it by yourself.
It is not far. It is within reach.
Perhaps you have been on it since you were born, and did not know.
Perhaps it is everywhere - on water and land.” 
~Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass 

 

(source)  

And then there was the Jaberwokky in Lewis Carroll's Through The Looking Glass . . .  which I found equally as enthralling . . . as I read the words I could almost picture those sharp teeth and claws . . .

 "Beware the Jabberwock, my son
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!" 
~Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking Glass 

 

 
We had to memorize a lot of poetry in school when I was growing up.  Some of it was great fun to learn . . . and others took great pains and much work.  It was in school that I memorized poems such as this, which was one of my favourites . . .

"I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is pressed
Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree."
~Joyce Kilmer
When I read those words, they painted a picture in my head, a beautiful picture of a living tree, nests of robins, snowy winter boughs . . . and the love of my Heavenly Father.   This was an easy one to memorize because of the rhyming.   Poems that rhyme are easy to read and to memorize I think . . . they trickle off the tongue like cool country springs flowing over pebbles beaten smooth from years and years of their gentle  ministrations . . . 

 

 The longest poem I ever had to memorize was "The Wreck of the Hesperus," by Henry Wordsworth Longfellow.   It  took up pages and pages in my Grade Four Reader . . . and I am amazed now that I was able to memorize such a poem at the age of only nine, but I did.   I do remember being very nervous about this verse . . . speaking of the Captain's daughter . . .

Blue were her eyes, as the fairy flax,
Her cheeks like the dawn of day,
And her bosom white as the hawthorn buds
That open in the month of May.  

It was the word bosom . . . I wanted to giggle whenever I said it and I can remember being so worried that when I recited it in school I would not be able to keep myself from laughing out loud at that part.  Oh childish innocence . . . that I would be so innocent now! 

 

 Of course, as I got older, I took to writing poetry myself.  It's a beautiful way of expressing your deepest, most  innermost thoughts.  None of it has survived . . . but it probably wasn't any good anyways.   We were watching a program the other night, Perspectives . . .  and in it Sheila Hancock, the actress, was exploring the magnificent Bronte family.   They were all so very talented and tortured souls in many respects.   You could see that their talents were very evident even in their childhoods . . . from the little books and plays that they would write, which of course some wise soul had the vision to save for posterity.  Would that someone had thought to do that with mine own work . . . 

 

I see poetry in many things though . . . not just in words on paper that rhyme and some that don't . . .

I see it in the petals of a rose that curl around each other just so . . . in the red breast of the robin as it swells and sings a beautiful song just for me.   I see it in my prayers as I pour out my heart to my Heavenly Father at the beginning and the end of every day . . . in the way the frosting on the top of a very delicious cake swirls in a particular way . . . and the scent of a hearty pot of homemade soup as it bubbles away on the back of the fire . . . 

 

In the way the hair on Mitzie's little black head curls as it lays against my lap and I wind my fingers through it . . . in a most loving way . . . the sight of my husband's strong jaw resting on his chest as he reads his books, deep in thought, entranced completely by whatever it is he is reading . . . the way a new born babe's finger curl about my own when touched and they beautiful curving shell-like ears . . . tucked close against their downy little heads . . .the way the light falls across the table on a late Winter afternoon . . .

I think I just have the heart of a poet, don't you?  Life to me . . . IS . . . poetry.  

Mom had a good day yesterday (thanks for all of your prayers). My sister did have to take her to Kentville for a Catscan, which hopefully will show nothing bad.  The gate is ready to be installed at the top of the stairs, so hopefully there will be no more falls.  We were in a bit of a conundrum yesterday as my sister is having her next cataract op on Monday.  She has that at a local hospital, so no worries. My dad can stay with my mum, and take my sister back and forth no problem as it is only a few minutes away.  But then on Tuesday my sister will have to go to a follow-up appointment in Kentville and because of the drops in her eyes she won't be able to drive so my dad is taking her, but we were worried about leaving mom alone for that long with everyone being so far away.  I tried asking a friend that I know who lives there, but she was unable to do it. So I said a prayer and lo and behold, who should pop onto Messenger and start talking to me but my Uncle Harold.  I had not spoken to him in quite a while!  It was really nice, and I was able to ask him if he and his wife Barb would be able to sit with mom while Cindy has her eye appointment.  He was happy to do it.  Said they had been planning on going up to see mom for a while not and this was the perfect excuse.  Talk about prayers being answered in wonderful ways!  I think Mom will really enjoy her visit with Harold.  He was my late Aunt Freda's husband and they share a lot of history together.  I was so pleased!

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *.˛."The only reason a road is good 

as every wanderer knows
Is just because of the homes, the homes, 

the homes to which one goes."
~Joyce Kilmer    •。★★ 。* 。 

 

BOOK OF MORMON CORNER 

Today's reading - Alma 1:15-33 

Question - What positive behaviours do the children of God have towards others? What warnings do you notice in these verses?  

 

Thoughts -  I just love the way the church members loved others above things and above selfish desires. And they didn't turn anyone away, they didn't judge anyone by their own standards and minds. They didn't lean to their own understanding, just served and obeyed the commandments. And then they prospered but they had the attitude that as they prospered their responsibility grew and their arms could outstretch even more and reach more, rather than seeing it as a reward to indulge for themselves. 

 
They start off pretty good, caring for each other and worshipping God and serving the poor, but pride comes in and so does contention. Pride stops people from wanting to serve the poor, it stops people from wanting to be told what to do. Beware of pride, it doesn't make people happy and it doesn't do nation's of people any good. 

 
The leaders of the church weren't paid, they worked as well as leading the church....sounds familiar! I love that they were all equal and that each person worked according to their strength. They administered to the poor. This, to me, is like our modern day equivalent of tax and benefits. Or in the church fast offerings and welfare. Recently I've been struggling with lots of unkind things being said by people who unhappily pay taxes on "their income" to give it to "benefit scroungers". It's really made me sad that people (church members included) can't see this for what it is. Mosiah 2:21 & Mosiah 4:16-17.  There but for the Grace of God go I.

  

Tomorrow's Reading (Monday, Day 138) - Alma 2:1-18 

Question - What have you learnt from the reading today? How can we counsel together without contention? 

 

 

 

In the English Kitchen today   . . . Gluten Free Brownies.  These are dense, fudgy and delicious! They are great eaten out of hand, and would also make a great dessert as above, served warm with ice cream.  

 

Have a beautiful Saturday!  We have a wedding to go to today and I have a cake to bake for it this morning.  Don't forget!

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And I do too!