General Chat

Dear Bridget and All

Hello

Hope you are okay and doing well.

I am very glad you like this piece of poetry, Bridget and that you asked me to add this to your post:


HOW DO I LOVE THEE?

By Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861)


How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.

I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;

I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with a passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.

I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, --- I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! --- and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

Take gentle care
With very best wishes
xx

This makes me smile.

DADDY FELL INTO THE POND. Alfred Noyes.


Everyone grumbled. The sky was grey.
We had nothing to do and nothing to say.
We were nearing the end of a dismal day,
And then there seemed to be nothing beyond,
Then
Daddy fell into the pond!

And everyone's face grew merry and bright,
And Timothy danced for sheer delight.
"Give me the camera, quick, oh quick!
He's crawling out of the duckweed!" Click!

Then the gardener suddenly slapped his knee,
And doubled up, shaking silently,
And the ducks all quacked as if they were daft,
And it sounded as if the old drake laughed.
Oh, there wasn't a thing that didn't respond
When
Daddy Fell into the pond!

I found this poem while researching for Remembrance Day, which I found thought provoking.

Please wear a Poppy, the lady said,
and held forth one, but I shook my head,
then I stopped to see how she would fare,
her face was old and lined with care,
but beneath the scars that the years had made,
there remained a smile that refused to fade.

A boy came whistling down the street
bouncing along on carefree feet,
his smile was full of joy and fun
'lady'he said,may I have one?
As she pinned it on, I heard him say
why do we wear a poppy today?

The lady smiled in her wistful way
and answered, 'this is Remembrance Day
the poppy there is is a symbol for
the gallant men who died in the war
and because they did,you and I are free
thats why we wear a poppy you see.

I had a boy, about your size
with golden hair and big blue eyes
he loved to play and jump and shout,
free as a bird he would prance about,
as the years went on he learned and grew
and became a man as you will too

He was fine and strong with a boyish smile
but he seemed with us just a little while
when war broke out he went away
I still remember his face that day
when he smiled at me and said 'goodbye'
I'll be back soon,so please don't cry.

But the war went on and he had to stay
all I could do was wait and pray,
his letters told of the awful fight
I can still see it in my dreams at night,
with Tanks and Guns and cruel barbed wire,
the mines and bullets, the bombs and fire.
Until at last, the war was won,
and that's why we wear a poppy son,

The small boy turned, as if to go,
then said, 'thanks lady, I'm glad to know
that sure did sound like an awful fight, but
your son, did he come home alright'?
A tear rolled down her faded cheek
and she shook her head, and didn't speak,
I slunk away, head bowed in shame,
if you were me, you'd have done the same,
for our thanks in giving is oft delayed,
for our freedom was bought and thousands paid,

And so you see, when a poppy is worn,
let us reflect on the burden borne
by those, who gave their very all
when asked to answer their countrys call
that we at home,in peace may live.
Then wear a poppy, remember, and give.

By an unknown Poet.

as requested by Bridget...I am honoured you asked me to put it on here, thank you Bridget !...Maggie :)

OF MILK AND HONEY
I have led a simple life
Achieving little
in material wealth ~

Yet gained wisdom


These hands have toiled
Receiving little
in recompense ~

Yet gained pride


I have given my life
Grieving for heady
days of youth

Yet gained knowledge ~


I lived in a state of hope
Believing in a land
Of milk and honey ~

Then I became a realist !


Maggie © 2011

Maggie Thank you for posting this so quickly, and I am sure that people on here will enjoy this as much as i do. ho knows it may even encourage others to add poems etc that they have written.
Nigglelynellie, found your entry very poignant

B

I would just like to add this simple verse... I don't know who wrote it but I think it sums up life.

When thins go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest, if you must, but don't you quit....

welshbird
Thank you for joining us, it is always pleasing to see a new name.
I suspect that many of us will find this entry very close to our hearts at times.
I look forward to reading more pieces from you
B

I have this poem framed and hanging in my utility room 'welshbird201.' There are times when it rings very true especially at the moment as my OH is recovering from major surgery for Prostate Cancer, so things have been a bit stressful for us. I find this thread very restful and soothing. Thankyou everyone for your contributions.

Thanks for the welcome SpanishEyes...nigglynellie I would like to wish you and your OH all the best.
This is one of my favourite poems by Robert Frost
Stopping by Woods on a snowy evening.

Whose woods these are I think I know
His house is in the village though
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
to stopp without a farmhouse near
between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep
And miles to go before I sleep.
And miles to go before I sleep

WelshBird
I have never read or seen this before, it is delightful
Bridget

It is delightful isn't it, check him out on the web he has written some lovely poems.

nigglynellie, I love the Rememberance Day Poem its very poignant.

Here's another 'saying' that might help world peace if the 'world' would heed it!


Never, never let your gun
pointed be at anyone,
That it may unloaded be,
matters not a jot to me!

Your job is to awaken to the levels inside you that are asleep, to awaken to the consciousness of love, Light, and Sound.

- John-Roger

I found this whilst trawling the internet this morning about Anxiety disorder

I hope you like it

Today is my birthday and to be quite honest I wasn't feeling too happy with the world and decided that it was going to be the worst one ever. I opened my cards and a school friend of fifty years sent me a card with this verse:-

Friends don't need to talk every day to know that they are close
But there are times in life when it's a friend we need the most
And when I think of friendship it's you I think of first
Someone to share life's ups and downs,the best days and the worst
Because you've always been someone with whom I can really share
And it makes me feel so deeply glad, just knowing you are there.

... a short time later some flowers were delivered , I had absolutely no idea who had sent them but they came from another friend who has never sent me flowers ......think someone is looking after me..jl

Janet, first I must wish you a Happy Birthday even if it is a little late in the day.
Sometimes we all need to be reminded that "someone " is thinking of us even if only for a brief amount of time. Enjoy your flowers and why not press one of them so that you can treasure it forever.
Bridget

Oh Janet, that is quite brilliant, a potentially unhappy day turned into a really happy one, that has made me feel good too!!! Happy Birthday from me as well!! I have one or two very old friends from 'way back' and I always love hearing from them, it's so nice to feel remembered. Liz x

Thank you SpanishEyes and niggglynellie-j

Happy birthday for yesterday, Janet. I love your poem, absolutley brilliant.
I hope you had a great day.

Can anyone help me? My husband has just gone out and bought a really good quality book case for me to keep all my records etc. Given that he has no interest whatsoever in family history, he lives for today not yesterday or tomorrow is his favourite reply if asked about family history so this token of his feeling for me is very precious, therefore I would like to write / give him a Thank You. As he is rather romantic I know that he would like this but i cannot think due to the surprise!!!!

Thank you welshbird201....a much better day than I had first imagined.-j