Thursday, September 09, 2010

2 new favorite poems

I know I haven't posted in ages - and I promise a report on my New England trip (the beach! Walk off Sox wins!). But I wanted to put two poems up here that I've recently found. I'm mainly putting them here for me - so that I don't have papers cluttering my desk.

Beachcomber by Robert Service


When I have come with happy heart to sixty years and ten,
I'll buy a boat and sail away upon a summer sea;
And in a little lonely isle that's far and far from men,
In peace and praise I'll spend the days the Gods allow to me.
For I am weary of a strife so pitiless and vain;
And in a far and fairy isle, bewilderingly bright,
I'll learn to know the leap and glow of rapture once again,
And welcome every living dawn with wonder and delight.

And there I'll build a swan-white house above the singing foam,
With brooding eaves, where joyously rich roses climb and cling;
With crotons in a double row, like wine and honeycomb,
And flame trees dripping golden rain, and palms pavilioning.
And there I'll let the wind and wave do what they will with me;
And I will dwell unto the end with loveliness and joy;
And drink from out the crystal spring, and eat from off the tree,
As simple as a savage is, as careless as a boy.

For I have come to think that Life's a lamentable tale,
And all we break our hearts to win is little worth our while;
For fame and fortune in the end are comfortless and stale,
And it is best to dream and rest upon a radiant isle.
So I'll blot out the bitter years of sufferance and scorn,
And I'll forget the fear and fret, the poverty and pain;
And in a shy and secret isle I'll be a man newborn,
And fashion life to heart's desire, and seek my soul again.

For when I come with happy heart to sixty years and ten,
I fondly hope the best of life will yet remain to me;
And so I'll burn my foolish books and break my futile pen,
And seek a tranced and tranquil isle, that dreams eternally.
I'll turn my back on all the world, I'll bid my friends adieu;
Unto the blink I'll leave behind what gold I have to give;
And in a jewelled solitude I'll mould my life anew,
And nestling close to Nature's heart, I'll learn at last . . . to live.

(Taken from a website called Plagiarst.com (!)
------
This poem was included in the program for the funeral of a friend's mother - I just think it's lovely!

The Lanyard - Billy Collins

The other day I was ricocheting slowly
off the blue walls of this room,
moving as if underwater from typewriter to piano,
from bookshelf to an envelope lying on the floor,
when I found myself in the L section of the dictionary
where my eyes fell upon the word lanyard.

No cookie nibbled by a French novelist
could send one into the past more suddenly—
a past where I sat at a workbench at a camp
by a deep Adirondack lake
learning how to braid long thin plastic strips
into a lanyard, a gift for my mother.

I had never seen anyone use a lanyard
or wear one, if that’s what you did with them,
but that did not keep me from crossing
strand over strand again and again
until I had made a boxy
red and white lanyard for my mother.

She gave me life and milk from her breasts,
and I gave her a lanyard.
She nursed me in many a sick room,
lifted spoons of medicine to my lips,
laid cold face-cloths on my forehead,
and then led me out into the airy light

and taught me to walk and swim,
and I, in turn, presented her with a lanyard.
Here are thousands of meals, she said,
and here is clothing and a good education.
And here is your lanyard, I replied,
which I made with a little help from a counselor.

Here is a breathing body and a beating heart,
strong legs, bones and teeth,
and two clear eyes to read the world, she whispered,
and here, I said, is the lanyard I made at camp.
And here, I wish to say to her now,
is a smaller gift—not the worn truth

that you can never repay your mother,
but the rueful admission that when she took
the two-tone lanyard from my hand,
I was as sure as a boy could be
that this useless, worthless thing I wove
out of boredom would be enough to make us even.


Included in the FORTHCOMING book (OCT 2005), The Trouble with Poetry. (from Billy Collins' website )

Labels:

9 Comments:

Blogger richardghart said...

The new TaylorMade Rocketbladez Irons are ment to take you the extra distance. Adding an additional +15 yards to your iron shots, these Rocketbladez Golf Clubs are blowing the competion out. Check out this brand new blog RIGHT HERE! To see what I am talking about, with videos photos and great text.

10:29 PM  
Blogger Ajazgames said...

It was quite useful reading, found some interesting details about this topic. Thanks….

escape games
new escape games
Point and click games
free online escape games
online escape games

9:05 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

The information is very good and very useful. I really like it and I am also waiting for the post information.


Cara Mengobati Kelenjar Getah Bening
Obat Kolesterol Tinggi Di Apotik
Obat Luka Diabetes
Obat Herbal Penyumbatan Tuba Falopi
Obat Tradisional Penyempitan Tulang
Cara Mengobati ISPA

3:08 AM  
Blogger chenlili said...

north face
michael kors outlet
polo shirts
air max 2018
nike blazer
tory burch
nike lunarglide
flops
jordan 1
fitflops
20183.19chenjinyan

9:52 PM  
Blogger chenlili said...

balenciaga
cartier bracelet
adidas yeezy
jordan 11
tod's shoes
jordan shoes
michael kors outlet
ferragamo
michael kors uk
jordans
chenyingying20180327

9:06 PM  
Blogger yanmaneee said...

jimmy choo
fila online shop
asics sneakers
yeezy
yeezys
bape hoodie
yeezy boost 350
yeezy shoes
fila shoes
jordan shoes

1:39 AM  
Blogger David Lutz said...

Very informative blog, . I really liked it and you
have mentioned almost all the possible ways, will try it
baixar videos do facebook

1:23 PM  
Blogger Free Online Betting said...

Your blog is very useful for me & i like so much...
Thanks for sharing the good information!

Here are my websites:
gclub
gclub online
royal gclub
royal1688

gclubpok9
gclubonline168
slotscr168
aset4bet

9:13 AM  
Blogger peter thakur said...

Thank you because you have been willing to share information with us. we will always appreciate all you have done here because I know you are very concerned with our. Google Play Generator

1:45 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home