Saturday, 25 August 2012

Poetry Saturday . . . Beautiful Things . . .



Beautiful faces are those that wear
It matters little if dark or fair
Whole-souled honesty printed there.

Source: pixdaus.com via Peggy on Pinterest



Beautiful eyes are those that show,
Like crystal panes where hearthfires glow,
Beautiful thoughts that burn below.



Beautiful lips are those whose words
Leap from the heart like songs of birds,
Yet whose utterance prudence girds.



Beautiful hands are those that do
Work that is honest and brave and true,
Moment by moment the long day through.




Beautiful feet are those that go
On kindly ministries to and fro,
Down lowliest ways, if God wills it so.



Beautiful shoulders are those that bear
Ceaseless burdens of homely care
With patient grace and daily prayer.



Beautiful lives are those that bless
Silent rivers of happiness,
Whose hidden fountains but few may guess.




Beautiful twilight at set of sun,
Beautiful goal with race well won,
Beautiful rest with work well done.



Beautiful graves where grasses creep,
Where brown leaves fall, where drifts lie deep
Over worn-out hands . . . Oh! Beautiful sleep.
~Ellen P Allerton, 1835 - 1893



Mrs. Ellen P. Allerton was born in 1835 near Centerville, New York. Being the only girl in the family, and having seven older brothers, she early became the "queen of the household." When about fifteen years of age she attended school at an academy in Hamilton, New York. At the end of two years she returned to Centerville where she was a successful teacher in the district school. It was about this time she began
writing poetry.

Photo of Ellen P. Allerton

In the summer of 1862, while on a visit to Wisconsin, she met A. B. Allerton, and they were married the following fall, and settled on a farm.

The Wisconsin home of Mrs. Allerton was a modern farm cottage near Lake Mills, a village in the central southern portion of the state, away from the railroads and from the noise and bustle of busy life. Some of the earliest settlers had located in the neighborhood. Mr. Allerton' s farm was on the west slope of the Rock River valley, with hills rising still farther to the westward. It was historic ground. The inarches, retreats, and pursuits of the Black Hawk war had left their
lines across the country.

"Beautiful Things" has especially received recognition throughout the United States, and is unsurpassed by any American author. It had been reprinted in all the principal newspapers be fore she left Wisconsin, and its classical beauty recognized by its insertion in an American Anthology. Admirable, suggestive, full of native philosophy, inspired by genius as these poems are, they are surpassed in vigor, in wealth of imagery and ripened thought by her Kansas poems. She had passed middle life when she came to Kansas. But her poetic mind was late in bearing its best fruits. She advanced in poetic growth as she advanced in years.

She had no children of her own, but her mother heart won the love of those placed under her care. No one could be in her home long without discovering the marked respect and lov ing regard they had for her. She was wifely, womanly and motherly, what more need be said?

I am off to Runcorn today to have a girlie day with my friends Sheilagh and Trish. I am looking forward to it. Todd is going too, but he's having a "Man" day and going to a boat show. Poor wee Mitzie will be all on her own . . . but I can promise you we will more than make up for it when we return home. I don't really like leaving her on her own for very long . . . but sometimes it just can't be helped.



Here's a little piece that I did yesterday afternoon. Just a fun little piece, nothing too complicated. I thought as well that if I faded the words in the main body of the piece, it would make great stationary! I'm going to give it a try and see how it works out.

I'll end this off now with one of my favourite quotes of inspiration and leave you to your day. I hope it's a special one for each and every one of you.

"We are warriors of light,
With the force of our love and our will
we can change our own destiny
and that of many other people."
~Paulo Coelho



Cooking in The English Kitchen today . . . Cranberry & Oat Buttermilk Pancakes with a Buttermilk Syrup. Oh so scrummy!

See you tomorrow!!

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