Photo by Moses Pendleton
THE SEPARATE ROSE: I
by Pablo Neruda
Today is that day, the day that carried
a desperate light that since has died.
Don’t let the squatters know:
let’s keep it all between us,
day, between your bell
and my secret.
Today is dead winter in the forgotten land
that comes to visit me, with a cross on the map
and a volcano in the snow, to return to me,
to return again the water
fallen on the roof of my childhood.
Today when the sun began with its shafts
to tell the story, so clear, so old,
the slanting rain fell like a sword,
the rain my hard heart welcomes.
You, my love, still asleep in August,
my queen, my woman, my vastness, my geography
kiss of mud, the carbon-coated zither,
you, vestment of my persistent song,
today you are reborn again and with the sky’s
black water confuse me and compel me:
I must renew my bones in your kingdom,
I must still uncloud my earthly duties.
Thank you so much for the beautiful rose. I needed a little color this morning. It is so dark and gray here. Rain, slush and gloomy weather are predicted for the next few days. The rose makes me think about spring, sun and warm weather.
I really got into this poem today. I love when late in the winter the cold rain comes and washes everything clean again and you know spring has began to knock on nature’s door. Plus being an August b-day, love the August reference. Wow, I am finally getting into poetry, good job Professor Leary. And I thought it could not be done.
A beautiful photograph, a beautiful poem, perfectly paired like a good meal and a fine wine. Thank you.
What a beautiful photo and a beautiful poem to go along with it! Cynthia, I thought the same thing, a food and wine pairing. And I love that Neruda used the word, “zither.” What a fabulous word. I wonder if anyone here has played one.
The rose is so rich in color.
CT/ NYers: get ready for more snow!
Lovely rose and poem, Ann.
Aw shucks, I’ve been looking forward to the Rebecca chat for weeks, now I have to miss it as I’m heading to Fl. in the morning to bury my Dad.
I always put a single rose in the coffin of my loved ones as they go on their journey to the next life.
Annie
I LOVE words. Sometimes I think of them as ingredients–such as in cooking. Standing alone, they offer little. But the mindful, intuitive chef/writer can create a masterpiece by understanding how to blend them. How to add just a dash here or sprinkle a few potent ones over some ordinary words to make them come alive with depth and meaning.
A really good writer/chef makes it look effortless. But surely much thought and artistry goes into each creation.
Words are the currency of our lives. We use them to tell our stories about who we are, what we feel, our fears and our dreams. Too many people use this currency cheaply, talking constantly and saying nothing. Words like these are not the ones we hold in our hearts and remember. They fill the silence and are just noise.
But how many of us can remember a particular line from a movie, book or poem that has stayed with us over the years because it was a perfect set of words to convey an idea. It just can’t be improved upon.
I like this poem because the author created something special for us to enjoy and think about with these particular words. Isn’t that just amazing, really????? If other words were used, it would be a different poem completely, just like baking a different cake.
Today I would challenge all of us to listen to how the people around us are using words, including ourselves. Step outside yourself and watch the communication. Are people filling silence with empty words? Are they mindful of the words they chose or do they spend this valuable currency mindlessly? Do they mean what they say or are they “just sayin”?
Anyway Ann, thanks for sharing these words with us and I hope everyone has a day filled with good, rich words. I hope you mammogram goes well too, Ann.
Annie so sorry for your loss
I hope the Rose and Poem gave you some comfort today.
Ann Lovely Picture of the Rose…. I read the first 2 lines of the poem I tried, I tried, I tried…….I could do with some comfort myself today, but then the poem went..blah,blah blah… so i just looked back at the lovely picture instead
wait….. I am going to try again……
nope got to squatters and my mind travelled……. Darn it!
Annie,
Blessings to you and your family for your loss. May his memory be a blessing to all who knew him and loved him. A big hug to you.
Annie, so sorry to hear about the loss of your father. It seems fitting that today’s photo is of a single rose.
Annie,
So sorry for the loss of your Dad. I think it’s a little eerie how you place a single rose for your loved one, and yet, here’s one, just for you.
Sending lots of thoughts and prayers your way. Safe trip to FL.
Annie, so sorry for your loss. That’s a beautiful and thoughtful gesture, placing a rose in the coffin of a love one. Have a safe and comforting trip to FL.
Bev, my dear Bev, you crack me up. I feel so much better that someone here is as poetry challenged as I am. I did have to read it twice, and I think I got the gist of it on the second round. Sometimes I feel as though I’m reading a foreign language and I need a translator. Or notes in the margin that say, “this line means he can’t wait for spring”. Maybe we can have a poetry chat and ask all the writers/editors/wordsmiths here to break it down for those of us who are missing the poetry gene.
Annie, so sorry about your dad.
Ann – Good luck with the mammo today. All of us women “of a certain age” can relate.
Annie – I’m so sorry for your loss. Putting a single rose in the coffin is such a beautiful gesture.
Marilyn F. – As a fellow lover of words,I enjoyed your post. You presented such an eloquent, interesting perspective on the use of words. It made me think about how much I admire people who always know the right words to say for any given situation. I think that is truly a gift which Ann possesses. It’s one of the many reasons that I enjoy reading this blog.
Annie, so sorry about the loss of your father. I lost my father a little over 1 year ago. Such a cliche, but time has helped. I will be thinking of you through out the next few days.
Marilyn F, what a beautifully written, inspiring post.
Lupe, thanks for the info about N1 vaccine, explains the cold I can’t get over!
KC, Santa brought me a zither when I was maybe 6 or 7. It was the child version, I suppose. It came with sheet music that slid under the strings, showing where to stoke the strings. Keep in mind this was also a Christmas where Santa brought me new cowboy boots, a cap gun and holster. Gotta love Texas!
Annie, I am so sorry your father has died. Placing a flower inside the casket of a loved one is not so unusual and a sweet touch, I think. When my Dad died a few years ago, I placed the book he was reading, with his bookmark sticking out just as he had left it on his chairside table,inside the casket with him.I thought it was most appropriate to send my father, the inveterate writer and reader, off with a book, esepcially one that he had not as yet finished reading. Altho I don’t believe in an afterlife I did say at the time that he might want to finish the book when he gets to where he is going.
Annie, I’m so very sorry to hear of your loss. That is such a touching gesture, to send him off with a rose. Have a safe trip.
I too am lacking the poetry gene. I read it more than twice and just don’t ever see what everyone else does. I would love to be able to see all those images that you all speak of, but it never happens. Unless it’s Shel Silverstein or Dr. Seuss ( who has a birthday next week- I wear my Dr Seuss hat to school). Renewing bones in your kingdom sounds a little kinky to me…..maybe it’s the snowstorm coming. Not getting the poetry–maybe someday….
Annie I am so sorry to hear about your dad. That is so weird and must be of some comfort, that today’s post was that of a single red rose.
Annie, I am sorry to hear about your father. I think placing a rose in his casket is such a lovely, and loving, gesture. Like others, I can’t help noticing the meaningful coincidence with Ann’s subject today. Take good care of yourself, and know that we are thinking of you this week.
annie -
so sorry you have to take a sad journey tomorrow. i’ll be thinking of you and hoping you are comforted by memories and loved ones.
Thank you, all, for your kind words of condolence. They really are a comfort. I didn’t know that the loss of the last parent would be so difficult.
My dad was 93, and lived a good long life, doing volunteer work at a hospital until 2 months ago.
Thanks again, I hold your words in my heart.
Annie, my condolences as well. Your father must have been a very special man. Today we can all think of him as we look at Ann’s rose.
Linda Hatch, your post about putting the book in your father’s casket really touched me.
And Marilyn, again, a lovely post.
Everyone be well today.
Annie, very sorry about your father, and the rose post today, very special indeed. Barbara, I honestly wish you had been my math teacher, I can just tell we would click, I too love Dr. Seuss so much. Marilyn F., what a fab post today. Very thought provoking for me indeed, I had to go back and read it again. You, like Ann are very well written. Ann, hope the big squish wasn’t too bad today. xoxxo Boy, you guys out east have had way more snow than us, March is around the corner, there is hope.
Brent, I am on my lunch hour and just got a chance to read your post from yesterday and I must say that I was fascinated. Thanks for the info, that is one amazing story. Marilyn, I just went ahead and out right printed yours, food for thought on the old lunch hour. have a great day all….
Mammograms aka Breast Under Glass,, no fun no way.I really wish with all the medical advances, they could come up with some other way to test women without having their eyes buldge out of their sockets and the glass comes crashing down.
Hope all turned out well for you today Ann. Lovely poem and pic to match. I just loved how Marilyn F spoke about words being the currency of our lives. This is such a lovely place to spend my lunch time =).
I know this is off topic, but I’ve been hearing reports that Western Mass. is getting lots of snow, which made me think of Rose from Worcester. Rose, I hope you’re ok…you haven’t blogged lately.
Odd stuff. In the news this morning in LA, channel 2? I think it was, the news that it is snowing in Westchester..
Now, since when are the news people in LA concerned with the weather in that particular town?. The news woke me up! in a sense. Maybe there is more than one?. (there are?).
Dear Annie, sorry about your dad. He lived a long life.
And so I sweated bullets writing my 3 page paper on “Deconstruction” and I cannot afford to read it again, as the words roll onto each other and it makes no sense. See what happens. This weekend I intend to write another, on my own, with ‘complaints’ about this particular author. Comments and quotes, see if my Professor can ease my mind as I think it is soooo unprofessional to rearrange the writings of an author!!. So very terrible!!. And what constitutes a piece of literature anyhow. Not the words coming from editors!!, so what then?. So, I shall leave you out of this one… hopefully.
I mean, (see? it bugs me), this Deconstruction bit goes into interpreting the Law, and the Constitution both. Have articles on that bit as well.
I hope we all stay safe. And if that town comes up again on the news in Los Angeles, I shall call the station and ask for meaning. I mean, they could have picked up Boston or something, couldn’t they?.
And Neruda is way to intense for me. Not all of the time, but most of the time. He is so intense, he cannot get off the ground (with the idea). Or that is how I see things.
Lupe, I know I should know this, but what are you studying in school? What degree are you going for? And are you in the LA area or the Bay Area? I read your (scary/funny) posts about the awful hotels in LA, but I wasn’t sure why you were down there, as I thought you lived up here near me. You always have interesting viewpoints on things and talk about learning for the sake of learning, which I think is neat. Just curious and wanted to fill in some blanks I must have missed before I started posting.
Thanks, Catherine
Lupe, Westchester is a county in NY state close to NYC…our very own Cynthia hails from Westchester. I live north of there in Dutchess County (aka, the place that’s going to get pummeled with snow tomorrow).
Great news! I won’t be late for the Rebecca chat. I showed my boss the weather report for our town (rather, he looked it up himself) and said, “Yeah, there’s no way you’re coming in tomorrow…work from home.” Yay!
Party at KC’s tomorrow! BYOS (shovel).
My computor shows the picture as a dark space, same as the last picture by Moses you posted. The other photos show up great and I always love seeing the dogs. I tried to get a book at the library of Pablo Naruda’s poetry, but it was checked out. I love when you post poems with the pictures. I really didn’t think I liked poetry until I started reading your blog. Have a great day!
Hi Judith, my computer also shows the photo as a dark space, so I saved it to my pictures folder and edited it using color contrast and that did the trick. It is a perfect red rose.
Annie, so sorry about the loss of your dad. How wonderful that he lived such a long and active life. I will be thinking of you giving him that last rose. Best wishes for your trip to Florida.
I wonder sometimes how losing the remaining parent will be. It seems like so much must be lost in losing them. I’ve been thinking of my dad lately because his birthday was this month; we lost him more than 20 years ago, and I still miss him about every day. Like your flower gesture, we floated flowers on the water. My mom is 80 now, and a bit out of it, but she still speaks vividly of the golden days when she and my dad were young. The sadness of losing her will be compounded by the loss of those memories she now keeps alone. Dads are so special to daughters. Comforting thoughts for you and your family. How beautiful that the single rose today was so appropriate.
I am laughing at myself for my earlier post today asking about Rose from Worcester. It shows the odd inner workings of my mind (or lack thereof). Ann’s theme today was all about ROSES. There was a fabulous photo of a ROSE and a poem with ROSE in the title. Everyone’s comments included the word ROSE. Yet none of that made me think about our blog friend ROSE. Nope, no connection made there. Instead it was news of snowfall in Western Mass. that made me think about ROSE. Wow, I totally missed the obvious connection and took a very, very long and winding road to get there.
Very funny, Louise!
KC, yay for your snow day! Can we all come over and have hot toddy?
Yeah for snow day! KC I’m happy you get to work from home. Maybe Mr. Boss would let you work from home everyday and save 5 hours on the train.
I’m supposed to pick up the husband from the airport at 7 tomorrow, so who knows if I’ll be late for the big book talk. The husband is wondering if he’ll get in…he’s wondering where the heck he may end up, with the weather so crazy…but he has to show up, he’s the pilot.
Trying to play catch-up here.
Linda H. – I’m sending you good thoughts and healing energy.
Annie – So sorry about the loss of your Dad. The flower was a lovely gesture. I miss both of my parents and think of them quite often. We’re lucky to have happy memories.
The cancer blog is a great idea.
Ann – The dog photos are sooo great! That little Holly is really something. And how wonderful and tolerant Lulu and Daphne are with her. Dogs on skateboards – what a hoot! Would love to see a photo of that.
I couldn’t see the rose photo (too dark on my computer) but loved the poem. The photo of the chairs is amazing. So beautiful and serene.
When you have a chance, I would love an answer to my query about the DL Comedy Tour (posted a few blogs ago). No info on the DL website, which seems to be outdated. I know Denis mentioned this in our live blog w/ him and said it would be coming to San Francisco in June.
Looking forward to tomorrow night discussing Rebecca.
Linda S.
Annie, I am sorry for your loss. We will all be with you in spirit.
Arliss, I lost my remaining parent last September. Like Annie’s father, Mother lived a good, long life. I wish I had written down more family information while she was alive. I now have all these photo albums from her house from years and years ago and no idea who some of the people are. Other things, family stories, I’ve forgotten pieces and she would have the answers. So ask while you still have them with you so you can remember for your children.
Ann, thank you for the poem (love Neruda!) and thank you, Moses, for the gorgeous photograph.
Brent, I am interested to hear more about cell therapy. My husband was successfully treated for prostate cancer, and we never heard of this as an alternative.
KC – I am no longer showing my horse. We have retired from that, but we still train at 3rd L. He knows a little piaffe and yesterday I put a 10 yr old rider on him so she could feel what that is like. She was thrilled! I read something about Midnight but I cannot find it now. Is he ok?
Linda H. – think of you every day and love your positive posts
Lupe – you are a hoot!
Marilyn – love love love your post today
Annie, so sorry for your loss. Be safe in your travels and many blessings to you and your family. I love the rose gesture.
When my grandmother died, my little cousin put in a deck of cards (she loved to play) and 2 dimes and 1 nickel for Scat.
Jane, what a lovely post. My condolences on the recent loss of your mother. Thank you so much for the reminder to ask all those things while one can. I am visiting Mom in two weeks and will make a point to have some good, long talks, maybe bring out the photo albums. I remember what a shock it was to all four of us siblings when my dad died and suddenly that information that only he would know was so impossibly gone forever. Even the little things, like “How do we work this movie projector?” or what on earth those little metal gadgets in that box on the shelf in the garage were for!
Jane, just so you know, KC’s beloved Midnight passed away on Dec. 28.
By the way, Ann, I forgot to say earlier that I love, love, love today’s photo and poem. How wonderfully they go together. That poem is so intense, so passionate and powerful, my oh my.
I just realized how the phrase “movie projector” must age me! Who has movie projectors at home anymore?
(Well, we always were more into movies than other families because my dad was an enthusiastic amateur filmmaker — there still are dozens of big reels of 16mm film at my sister’s house.)
Catherine:
I am trying to wrap up a degree… I have lots of upper division History classes (it was impossible to get into the classes you needed in the ‘other’ University(, and I love History
but I love Biology more.
So, here in Southern Cal trying to wrap up a degree, as I am not getting any younger. It is a thing to see the curiosity of the folks in Administration, checking me out, as discreet/indiscreet as all people can be… trying to figure out what it is I am doing.. as they have all of the records and ‘she is, how old?’.
I go to the Bay Area often, as my car is still there, and so are my belongings… tried to make it here in one shot back in Jan 21st and do you remember HOW it rained?. My older son made a comment about the car being a POS, which brought me to earth and I realized that perhaps, just perhaps I should listen and not drive it.
And it has been so busy that I still have not settled for an apartment… but soon now.
I would like to be by the ocean. And I guess, lots of other people do too. The last experience on a unit (and this is not cheap, this is expensive rents) happened to be near a whole complex where this landlord is housing folks labeled ‘sex offenders’, to the tune of having NINE people to one unit…. this I just found out in the local newspaper (I read everything), and it was not ‘discussed’ when I went to see the place/area. There was another, really nice unit (from the outside)only the agent, after plenty of back and forth on the time to see the unit, tells me I should look from the window!! and tell him if I like it. (say what?). After some three days of calls and emails, he did not have time to come and meet me, as arranged.
Flake town?. Appears that way.
The kids at school tell me to go to Koreatown.And I did and it was nice… and then there was a fire in that general area, one particular apartment complex.
Then, I went downtown to see… and yes they have nice units, but then you have whole empty buildings, high rise… and the ones where people live at, you have the front door man, the one who parks the car for you and it is way too concrete-y for me.
Then there was another unit in a large complex, where the one internet/telephone/television company has the monopoly for services (not good), and the unit was super tiny… I would have had to leave my other ‘indispensables’ back in the Bay Area… and then, in their advertising, it talks about how THEIR surround sound system makes the walls shake. Not what I have in mind….
So, I am trying. Once you get on a lease, you know it is more difficult to pull out. So, I am taking some time before I commit.
And that is the story on that.
Back to my classes, I like to write, have many classes on that, and I am taking two more. Even though they audited my classes, if I tried to take anything else, the computer tells me I need prerequisites… and so I am taking all with a grain of salt and being very careful. Not paranoid o anything…. this is Los Angeles… going with the ‘flow’ or lack thereof. You would think, as many empty units as there are, that they would take better care of new people. And that they would be more reasonable on the rents, but I guess they pay INSURANCE and TAXES and utilities and that is that.
As the world turns… (name of a television something or other) and sometimes, so similar to life.
So glad to hear that others are poetically challenged. I have no difficulties reading simple poems…roses are red, violets are blues, but some of the other stuff I just don’t understand. Someone once told me to just read poems once, “Whatever you get out of it, you get out of it.” The problem was sometimes I really didn’t get anything out of it and often felt confused; like I was reading a foreign language. My English teacher in high school told me that since I was such a strong math student I could never just ‘appreciate’ a poem. “You’re problem is you over-analyze and try to decode it. That’s not what poetry is.” Then she told me that she was horrible in math and that made me feel sooooooooo much better.
Annie, so sorry for the loss of your father.
Lupe, if Channel 2 was talking about Westchester, there is a small city near LAX named Westchester. I haven’t heard the news today, so I don’t know if they got snow, but if they did, obviously, that would be pretty big news–we rarely get snow here in LA, as you know.
Are you going to Cal State Long Beach? Long Beach is a nice city, but parts of it aren’t, so be careful where you look at apartments. Are you planning on getting a car, or relying on public transit during your stay? If you have your own wheels, you can look in the surrounding areas for a place. You are one brave lady!
I don’t quite follow this poem either. I don’t get the “I must renew my bones in your kingdom.” I think Neruda wrote mostly in Spanish, so perhaps this was a literal translation? I have no idea.
Now, limericks – well, those I can appreciate. There was once a lady from France…
Limericks? Aislinn, did you mention limericks? Here’s one of my favorites (and it’s G-rated):
There once was a man from Devises
Whose ears were of different sizes.
The one that was small
Did nothing at all,
But the larger one won several prizes.
(bows and exits stage left)
Yes, snow day at our house! Everyone is welcome to come over. I don’t know how to make a hot toddy, but I can make a Hot Schnocolate and a Pear Nectar Bourbon thingy that I can’t remember the official name of.
Matt is also home tomorrow and he has been harassing me to make a snowman with him. Men! He cracks me up.
Jane, wow, 3rd Level! That’s where the big kahunas play. And teaching a horse to piaffe…I’ve worked with some incredible dressage trainers (including Anne Gribbons, the new Chef d’Equipe of the US Dressage Team), and since I was an event dressage rider, I never got to play with the higher level elements, nor did I have the horses capable of them. I did get the opportunity to ride a few Grand Prix level schoolmasters, and it was really a magical experience. Now, it’s a magical experience if Zeus will keep me in the saddle…!
Arliss, thanks for stepping in. Jane, if you click my name above, it’ll take you to our farm website. On the Horses page, there’s more info about Midnight, and also introduces Zeus, if you’re interested.
Long story long (sorry), Jane – I loved those photos and would love to see more, if you have them! Dressage is such an art form.
Cynthia – I was guessing your hubby is a pilot! You don’t sound terribly bothered by the weather…I guess because he’s the guy driving, he knows what he’s doing. I hope he gets in tomorrow evening safely!
Oh, and yes, I do wish I could work from home 5 days a week – that may become a reality sooner than I want it to, though. My boss is considering a move to another firm, and I may be/ have been looking for something closer to home or freelance. Time will tell. Well, that and sheer determination on my part.
Ann – hope your appointment went well today.
Alan,
You are my new hero !!!! Thank you, thank you…..a poem I get!!!!! You are so kind to share it.
Christine, thank you also. I’m a math teacher and I do try to decode poems. It’s my personality to over-analyze almost everything (so my family often informs me….). So, even if it isn’t really true, I think your explanation sounds incredibly logical and it works for me. Of course, I was also good at languages, loved Latin and French……there I go, over analyzing again !
Annie, I’m so sorry to hear of your loss, but heartened to hear that your father had such a long and well-lived life.
I just picked up Rebecca in BIG PRINT from the library, and ‘American Idol’ and the ‘Olympics’ are on (oh yeah, I have to work too) so I won’t be prepared for tomorrow, though I may lurk . . .
For the Dressage enthusiasts — here in Vegas we hosted the FEI World Cup, and we also have the Celebration of the Spanish Horse.
Also, any property a half of an acre anywhere in town is zoned for horses (and it is sad, but you would be amazed how many animals will be cooped up in pipe corrals on a half acre) — so right across from where I work on a very major, busy street are horses.
One hot and dusty day last summer I drove down the side street and spied a couple of Mexicans teaching a horse to “Piaffe”. I’m not sure they call it piaffe . . . Mexicans, I believe call it “dancing”, but a rose by any other name!
Prancing in place is one of many “high school” steps Mexicans are happy to teach their “Azteca” horses — a cross of Quarter Horses and Andalusians. This video is a little rough, but around the 5:18 minute mark you will see the most amazing moves done by a beautiful grey horse and a lovely willowly rider who doesn’t touch the reins at all (her leg cues are also hardly visable) . . . and, NO TAIL SWITCHING! I hate to see dressage horses switch their tail in annoyance of their work.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6ROPaETFck
Ann:
the lovely rose came out rather dark for me too!. And I do not have Photoshop in this machine. Not complaining, just sharing.
During the “Deconstruction” exercise in class, we had this poem.. and it sez:
In every cry of every man
In every infant’s cry of fear
In every voice, in every ban (yes, ban)
The mind forg’ed manacles I hear
So, since I was getting sick and tired of pulling the ditionary out and trying to decipher what the author could have said, may have said, should have said… I made my own poem, as follows:
There is a cry on the child
there is a cry on the man
there is a cry on the voice
there is a cry on the mind
I got NO standing ovations, but hell, it even rhymes.
And about stories from Los Angeles, this morning I was on the Metro minding my own affairs. This young male had been sitting next to me in the bench, sunny day and all (it rained latter), and he seemed stressed out of his mind.
He was trying to reach somebody on the phone, he was trying for the metro-police not to see him drinking his coffee (they can fine you) and he was besides himself.. all of the above.
I paid it no attention, train came, went in. And this young man found the person he needed to speak to on the other side of the line. He was speaking loudly, and I overhear him say:
“what do I do?
“What do I do?
“Should I talk to her?
“I had a girl with me!
“She kept calling and calling
“and she came over and I had to call the cops
“And I would have done her, I would have DONE her
“if she weren’t on per P(((((d!.
So, there are poem problems and there are period ones!.
And I like the limericks. That means they were created by people from Limerick, Ireland. No?
This is not funny nor do I want to make light of it. But my goodness!!. We are still doing that?.
Oh, that poem excerpt was William Blakes.
And this one is really nice.
CRADLE SONG
by: William Blake (1757-1827)
LEEP, sleep, beauty bright,
Dreaming in the joys of night;
Sleep, sleep; in thy sleep
Little sorrows sit and weep.
Sweet babe, in thy face
Soft desires I can trace,
Secret joys and secret smiles,
Little pretty infant wiles.
As thy softest limbs I feel,
Smiles as of the morning steal
O’er thy cheek, and o’er thy breast
Where thy little heart doth rest.
O the cunning wiles that creep
In thy little heart asleep!
When thy little heart doth wake,
Then the dreadful night shall break.
The one about the chimeney sweeps is really really sad if you really look into it (or tear apart, or something).
Lupe — Priceless . . . I LOVE your stories! Too frickin’ funny! I have to admit, if I could chose to be a fly on the wall (or backpack) of anyone’s life I would be hard pressed to choose between Ann’s Wicked Good, and Lupe’s Traviesa Vida Buena (???!!! . . . am I even close?)
Lupe, can you help me with Keats?
Alan, your limerick is my kind of poetry!
Lupe, the best poem on today’ blog is this one that you overheard on the metro:
AND I WOULD HAVE DONE HER
by Anonymous
what do I do?
What do I do?
Should I talk to her?
I had a girl with me!
She kept calling,and calling
and she came over and I had to call the cops
And I would have done her,
I would have DONE her
if she weren’t on per P(((((d!.
Linda S, sorry I forgot about the DL comedy tour info. All I know is that there will be a tour but I will find out details.
Annie, I’ve been saying prayers in bunches for you since I learned of your loss. Some of my friends think prayers are powerful, others, that they are nonsense. Here’s my take:
Prayers for myself, minor, Prayers for others, immeasurable, because they are unselfish love songs, prayers with legs, meaning you not only pray for something, but when possible, you get into your car and try to go help those person(s), animal(s), plant(s), polluted stream(s)dying forest(s)…
For a long time I have considered my prayers as probing my my own depths for love. Then I came across some thoughts that were passed on by an old Native American Apache Shaman, named Stalking Wolf, he said, “Until you learn to love a grain of sand, or a blade of grass, you will not know the true depths of love.” Granted, I’m still in the shallow end of this love pool.
Jane: I only have summary-paper and emotional facts about cell therapy, the actual clinical trial data hasn’t been available for several decades,( because it was conducted outside the US) or by law can’t be transmitted or published, unless a similar trial has been done in the US and signed off by the FDA. I know this, we have the best emergency care programs in the world, our cancer clinical studies are honest, thorough and major breakthroughs are happening, almost daily. My concern is that when a known cancer therapy has been, (and is still being) given to millions of humans, outside the US, and our government doesn’t do a comparative study of such a huge and ongoing process, I want to know why, and my government isn’t telling me why.
KC Haven’t you ever wondered why we keep building snowmen, but rarely build snowwomen? Men’s figures are so curveless compared to you marvelous creatures. Here in California, such an issue could develop into a major cause, provoking rallies and serious discussions…and I’m not jesting, weirder things have happened here!
Jane, there is plenty of information on cell therapy on the internet. Just google “cell therapy.” The internet, as most of us know, is a wealth of information.
Lupe, thanks for filling me in on your schooling! You are a brave soul. And thanks for the “street” poem. Some of the funniest things are said all around us during the day, eh?
Alan love the limerick!
Barbara I also teach. Currently I am working on the elementary level, but I do have certification in high school mathematics. I loved taking calculus, linear algegra and differential equations in college. My dad was pushing for me to be an engineer. I truly am one of those “If P then Q” kind of girls. Everything in math is logical and it makes sense. There’s only one answer!!! Poetry seems to have so many different meanings. I read and reread as if I am trying to figure out what the ‘answer’ is. Is the poem about a broken relationship? An angry person? My husband is great at poetry and has written some wonderful pieces himself. But he hates math! LOL
Oh Christine,
That’s hitting it right on the head! I love the logic of it all, and poetry has none to me. I do love other types of literature and I love to read for the sheer pleasure of it; but I would never, ever read poetry by choice. Before I was a teacher I was an accountant; another logical, add it up kind of profession. Not the people one thinks of when looking for poets……
PS—I also married a man who is much more artistic than I. He designs and makes jewelry and works with diamonds; he used to paint also. Not my cup of tea either…lol
Barbara, isn’t it funny how opposites attract? How wonderful that your husband can design and create jewelry. I don’t know anything about designing jewelry, but I do love diamonds!!! LOL