I hope everyone is well and have good bookish plans for the weekend. We might be having some snow over the weekend and my husband and myself love having a walk through the snow so my chosen poem seemed very apt.
A Winter Bluejay
Crisply the bright snow whispered,
Crunching beneath our feet;
Behind us as we walked along the parkway,
Our shadows danced
Fantastic shapes in vivid blue,
Across the lake the skaters
Flew to and fro,
With sharp turns weaving
A frail invisible net.
In ecstasy the earth
Drank the silver sunlight;
In ecstasy the skaters
Drank the wine of speed;
In ecstasy we laughed
Drinking the wine of love.
Had not the music of our joy
Sounded its highest note?
But no,
For suddenly, with lifted eyes you said,
'Oh look!'
There, on the black bough of a snow-flecked maple,
Fearless and gay as our love,
A bluejay cocked his crest!
Oh, who can tell the range of joy
Or set the bounds of beauty?
Sara Teasdale
I hope everyone is having a good day and that you are all looking forward to the weekend. My chosen poem today is an adventure through the imagination.
The Distance
Over the sounding sea,
Off the wandering sea
I smelt the smell of the distance
And longed for another existence.
Smell of pineapple, maize, and myrrh,
Parrot-feather and monkey-fur,
Brown spice,
Blue ice,
Fields of tobacco and tea and rice,
And soundless snows,
And snowy cotton,
Otto of rose
Incense in an ivory palace,
Jungle rivers rich and rotten,
Slumbering valleys
Smouldering mountains
Rank morasses
And frozen fountains,
Black molasses and purple wine,
Coral and pearl and tar and brine,
The smell of panther and polar-bear
And leopard-lair
And mermaid-hair
Came from the four-cornered distance,
And I longed for another existence.
Eleanor Farjeon
I hope everyone has some good reading planned for the weekend. I am hoping to finish reading Leviathan Wakes by James. S. A. Corey.
My chosen poem this week is by Edgar Allan Poe and it is Poe asking questions to science. The questions do not get an answer though. It does make me wonder whether Poe liked or disliked science when reading this poem.
To Science
Science! true daughter of Old Time thou art!
Who alterest all things with thy peering eyes.
Why preyest thou thus upon the poet's heart,
Vulture, whose wings are dull realities?
How should he love thee? or how deem thee wise,
Who wouldst not leave him in his wandering
To seek for treasure in the jewelled skies,
Albeit he soared with an undaunted wing?
Hast thou not dragged Diana from her car?
And driven the Hamadryad from the wood
To seek a shelter in some happier star?
Hast thou not torn the Naiad from her flood,
The Elfin from the green grass, and from me
The summer dream beneath the tamarind tree?
Edgar Allan Poe
I hope everyone is well and getting to read lots of good books.
My chosen poem this week is by one of my favourite authors Charlotte Bronte.
Life
Life, believe, is not a dream
So dark as sages say;
Oft a little morning rain
Foretells a pleasant day.
Sometimes there are clouds of gloom,
But these are transient all;
If the shower will make the roses bloom,
O why lament its fall?
Rapidly, merrily,
Life's sunny hours flit by,
Gratefully, cheerily
Enjoy them as they fly!
What though Death at times steps in,
And calls our Best away?
What though sorrow seems to win,
O'er hope, a heavy sway?
Yet Hope again elastic springs,
Unconquered, though she fell;
Still buoyant are her golden wings,
Still strong to bear us well.
Manfully, fearlessly,
The day of trial bear,
For gloriously, victoriously,
Can courage quell despair!
Charlotte Bronte
I will be honest I keep forgetting it is Friday, so it is lucky I have remembered the Friday poetry post. On Sunday the limbo will end because it is all back to work and the break is sadly over but this does mean I will know what day of the week it is.
My chosen poem this week is one by Jackie Kay and I have chosen it as I think it is perfect for New Year.
Promise
Remember, the time of year
when the future appears
like a blank sheet of paper
a clean calendar, a new chance.
On thick white snow
You vow fresh footprints
then watch them go
with the wind’s hearty gust.
Fill your glass. Here’s tae us. Promises
made to be broken, made to last.
Jackie Kay
This poetry anthology includes both jolly and thought-provoking poems old and new to take the reader on a journey through the Christmas season, from the advent of winter to the dawn of the new year. Poems cover much-loved themes including the Nativity and the love and peace of God at Christmas time; the busyness and joy of family life and Christmas preparations; and hope for the new year. Poems are from names including Charles Causley, Steve Turner, Clare Bevan, Edward Lear, Emily Dickinson and many more modern and traditional poets. The anthology is enlivened with pictures and photographs to showcase a whole range of jolly Christmas styles. The giftable hardback format makes this a special book to share at home, whilst the wide scope of the poems makes this equally valuable for teachers looking for assembly and classroom resources.
Review
I really wanted a book of Christmas poetry this year so I was really pleased when I saw this little book on the Waterstones website.
This little book contains poems by Sophie Piper who has also compiled this book and poems by poets such as Emily Dickinson, Christina Rossetti and many more. The book also contains stunning illustrations that have been done by a number of illustrators.
I love this little book that can easily be read in one sitting or dipped into when the mood takes you. The poems are well selected and really bring about the spirit of Christmas there are also a few carols inside as well. There are poems for everyone within this book and I will be honest my particular favourites are the ones about animals.
I highly recommend this little book for children and adults and it would make a perfect little stocking filler to read over the festive period. I give this book 5 out of 5 Dragons.
(All purchases made using one of the above affiliate links gives a small percentage of money to myself with no extra cost to yourself. All proceeds go towards the upkeep of this blog. Thank you ever so much, your support is gratefully received.)
About the author
Sophie Piper is the author of numerous religious books for children, including Little Bunny’s Easter, My Baptism Book, and When You Were Small.
It is time for another Christmas themed poem and this one is about the animals of the Christmas story. Sadly the author of this lovely poem is unknown.
The Friendly Beasts
Jesus our brother, kind and good,
Was humbly born in a stable rude,
And the friendly beasts around him stood;
Jesus our brother, kind and good.
'I,' said the donkey, shaggy and brown,
'I carried his mother up hill and down,
I carried her safely to Bethlehem town;
I,' said the donkey, shaggy and brown.
'I,' said the cow, all white and red,
'I gave him my manger for his bed,
I gave him my hay to pillow his head;
I,' said the cow, all white and red.
'I,' said the sheep, with the curly horn,
'I gave him my wool for his blanket warm;
He wore my coat on Christmas morn.
'I,' said the sheep with the curly horn.
'I,' said the dove, from the rafters high,
'Cooed him to sleep, my mate and I,
We cooed him to sleep, my mate and I;
I,' said the dove, from the rafters high.
And every beast, by some good spell,
In the stable dark, was glad to tell,
Of the gift he gave Emmanuel,
The gift he gave Emmanuel.
I chose this poem because it is about a cat and poems about cats are always good.
Christmas Cat
I've built a cuddly snowcat
With whiskers made from straws
And I'm almost sure,
I'm almost sure
I saw him lick his paws.
He's sitting in my garden,
He's smiling at me now,
And I'm almost sure,
I'm almost sure
I heard him say, 'Mee-ow!'
Clare Bevan
Lady Book Dragon 