Repelled in time, we are:
little wooden houses behind crude stones
against the sea, fishermen who graze
the bottom, deep abrasion to survive.
Friday, 31 May 2013
Thursday, 30 May 2013
The Theatre of the Humble - Julio Herrera y Reissig
The countryside is as the Bible says…
evening sinks down among the hills to die;
a final flash of sunlight threads through high
towers, aligning fairy lattices.
evening sinks down among the hills to die;
a final flash of sunlight threads through high
towers, aligning fairy lattices.
Tuesday, 28 May 2013
When Plaintively And Near The Cricket Sings - Nora May French
Now evening comes. Now stirs my discontent...
Oh ache of smallest, unforgotten things!
How sharp you are when day and dark are blent,
When beetles hurry by with vibrant wings,
And plaintively and near the cricket sings.
Oh ache of smallest, unforgotten things!
How sharp you are when day and dark are blent,
When beetles hurry by with vibrant wings,
And plaintively and near the cricket sings.
Monday, 27 May 2013
The Raven Who Would Rival The Eagle - Jean de La Fontaine
An Eagle swooped from out the sky,
And carried off a sheep.
A Raven seeing him, said: "I
Could do that too if I should try.
His meal comes mighty cheap."
And carried off a sheep.
A Raven seeing him, said: "I
Could do that too if I should try.
His meal comes mighty cheap."
Sunday, 26 May 2013
Cædmon's Hymn - Cædmon
Now let me praise the keeper of Heaven's kingdom,
the might of the Creator, and his thought,
the might of the Creator, and his thought,
Saturday, 25 May 2013
Give Me Welcome All with Cheer - Walter von der Vogelweide
Give me welcome all with cheer!
Harken, what my tidings fair shall be.
All that you were wont to hear
Is a very trifle: now ask me.
But give me my reward!
Then, if that be good,
I shall tell what you will hear with joyful mood.
Take care, and honours fit accord!
Harken, what my tidings fair shall be.
All that you were wont to hear
Is a very trifle: now ask me.
But give me my reward!
Then, if that be good,
I shall tell what you will hear with joyful mood.
Take care, and honours fit accord!
Friday, 24 May 2013
I Would I Might Forget That I am I (Sonnet VII) - George Santayana
I would I might forget that I am I,
And break the heavy chain that binds me fast,
Whose links about myself my deeds have cast.
And break the heavy chain that binds me fast,
Whose links about myself my deeds have cast.
Thursday, 23 May 2013
The Dying Hunter to his Dog - Susanna Moodie
Lie down — lie down! — my noble hound,
That joyful bark give o'er;
It wakes the lonely echoes round,
But rouses me no more —
Thy lifted ears, thy swelling chest,
Thy eyes so keenly bright,
No longer kindle in my breast
The thrill of fierce delight;
When following thee on foaming steed
My eager soul outstripped thy speed —
That joyful bark give o'er;
It wakes the lonely echoes round,
But rouses me no more —
Thy lifted ears, thy swelling chest,
Thy eyes so keenly bright,
No longer kindle in my breast
The thrill of fierce delight;
When following thee on foaming steed
My eager soul outstripped thy speed —
Wednesday, 22 May 2013
The Moonbeam - Luis G. Urbina
Moonbeam, come in! Thou art a welcome guest.
'Tis long since I have seen thy silver flame.
Although I left the casement open wide,
Shadows alone into my chamber came.
'Tis long since I have seen thy silver flame.
Although I left the casement open wide,
Shadows alone into my chamber came.
Tuesday, 21 May 2013
Deceased are the patrician mansions - Georges Rodenbach
Deceased are the patrician mansions,
And eternally enfolded in silence
And eternally enfolded in silence
Monday, 20 May 2013
Kleven - Jorgen Ingebrektsem Moe
Tread near the brink of the mountain here,
And let my home’s fair, blooming valley
With friendly greeting round us rally
The sons of countries far and near.
The lofty peaks with brows of snow,
The darksome woods and plains below,
The shining lakes,—all chime and sing
The glory of our Norway’s spring.
And let my home’s fair, blooming valley
With friendly greeting round us rally
The sons of countries far and near.
The lofty peaks with brows of snow,
The darksome woods and plains below,
The shining lakes,—all chime and sing
The glory of our Norway’s spring.
Sunday, 19 May 2013
The Atheist And The Acorn - Anne Kingsmill Finch
Methinks this World is oddly made,
And ev'ry thing's amiss,
A dull presuming Atheist said,
As stretch'd he lay beneath a Shade;
And instanced in this:
And ev'ry thing's amiss,
A dull presuming Atheist said,
As stretch'd he lay beneath a Shade;
And instanced in this:
Saturday, 18 May 2013
At Sea - Ada Cambridge
When the investing darkness growls,
And deep reverberates to deep;
When keyhole whines and chimney howls,
And all the roofs and windows weep;
Then, through the doorless walls of sleep,
The still-sealed ear and shuttered sight,
Phantoms of memory steal and creep,
The very ghosts of sound and light —
Dream-visions and dream-voices of a bygone night.
And deep reverberates to deep;
When keyhole whines and chimney howls,
And all the roofs and windows weep;
Then, through the doorless walls of sleep,
The still-sealed ear and shuttered sight,
Phantoms of memory steal and creep,
The very ghosts of sound and light —
Dream-visions and dream-voices of a bygone night.
Friday, 17 May 2013
On Meeting an Official Courier to the Capital - Cen Shen
East I look to my homestead, O long, long is the way;
Thursday, 16 May 2013
Praise of Little Women - Juan Ruíz
I wish to make my sermon brief,—to shorten my oration,—
For a never-ending sermon is my utter detestation;
I like short women,—suits at law without procrastination,—
And am always most delighted with things of short duration.
For a never-ending sermon is my utter detestation;
I like short women,—suits at law without procrastination,—
And am always most delighted with things of short duration.
Wednesday, 15 May 2013
Sterling Brings It - Dennis Vincent Brutus
From the blue and silver
fading to grey and darkness
over Chicago’s band shell
Sterling brings it
fading to grey and darkness
over Chicago’s band shell
Sterling brings it
Tuesday, 14 May 2013
The Hedgehog - Carmen Bernos de Gasztold
Yes, Lord, I prick!
Life is not easy —
But You know that —
and I have too much on my shoulders!
Life is not easy —
But You know that —
and I have too much on my shoulders!
Monday, 13 May 2013
Drinking alone with the moon - Li Bai
From a pot of wine among the flowers
I drank alone. There was no one with me —
Till, raising my cup, I asked the bright moon
To bring me my shadow and make us three.
I drank alone. There was no one with me —
Till, raising my cup, I asked the bright moon
To bring me my shadow and make us three.
Sunday, 12 May 2013
Sonnet XIX - John Milton
When I consider how my light is spent,
Ere half my days, in this dark world and wide,
Ere half my days, in this dark world and wide,
Saturday, 11 May 2013
The Runaway - Evaleen Stein
A frantic clatter of horses' feet!
A runaway's coming down the street!
Flurry, scurry,
Children, hurry!
A runaway's coming down the street!
Flurry, scurry,
Children, hurry!
Friday, 10 May 2013
The Lily Bed - Isabella Valancy Crawford
His cedar paddle, scented, red,
He thrust down through the lily bed;
He thrust down through the lily bed;
Thursday, 9 May 2013
Invocation of Ireland - Amergin Glúingel
I request the land of Ireland (to come forth)
coursed is the wild sea
wild the crying mountains
crying the generous woods
coursed is the wild sea
wild the crying mountains
crying the generous woods
Wednesday, 8 May 2013
’Tis The Feast Of Corn - Paul Verlaine
’Tis the feast of corn, ’tis the feast of bread,
On the dear scene returned to, witnessed again!
So white is the light o’er the reapers shed
Their shadows fall pink on the level grain.
On the dear scene returned to, witnessed again!
So white is the light o’er the reapers shed
Their shadows fall pink on the level grain.
Tuesday, 7 May 2013
Anthony and Cleopatra - Jose-Maria de Heredia
Together from the terrace they could see
Egypt bed down beneath a sultry sky;
through the black delta, fatly, massively,
to Saïs or Bubastis, Nile rolled by.
Egypt bed down beneath a sultry sky;
through the black delta, fatly, massively,
to Saïs or Bubastis, Nile rolled by.
Monday, 6 May 2013
Arrival of the Emperor - Osmer Eder Balam
I know how much you wish to see me fall;
That in my life’s biography, death overshadows my feet
But speak not ill words that poison the wind
For you waste your energy, my author of deceit.
That in my life’s biography, death overshadows my feet
But speak not ill words that poison the wind
For you waste your energy, my author of deceit.
Sunday, 5 May 2013
Fear Not, Dear Friend, But Freely Live Your Days - Robert Louis Stevenson
Fear not, dear friend, but freely live your days
Though lesser lives should suffer. Such am I,
A lesser life, that what is his of sky
Though lesser lives should suffer. Such am I,
A lesser life, that what is his of sky
Saturday, 4 May 2013
Eurunderee - Henry Lawson
There are scenes in the distance where beauty is not,
On the desolate flats where gaunt appletrees rot.
Where the brooding old ridge rises up to the breeze
From his dark lonely gullies of stringy-bark trees,
There are voice-haunted gaps, ever sullen and strange,
But Eurunderee lies like a gem in the range.
On the desolate flats where gaunt appletrees rot.
Where the brooding old ridge rises up to the breeze
From his dark lonely gullies of stringy-bark trees,
There are voice-haunted gaps, ever sullen and strange,
But Eurunderee lies like a gem in the range.
Friday, 3 May 2013
The Veteran - Esaias Tegnér
I love the old heroic times
Of Charles the Twelfth, our country’s glory,
And deem them fittest for the scenes
Of stern or tender story;
Of Charles the Twelfth, our country’s glory,
And deem them fittest for the scenes
Of stern or tender story;
Thursday, 2 May 2013
Scythe Song - Andrew Lang
Mowers, weary and brown, and blithe,
What is the word methinks ye know —
Endless over-word that the scythe
Sings to the blades of the grass below?
What is the word methinks ye know —
Endless over-word that the scythe
Sings to the blades of the grass below?
Wednesday, 1 May 2013
The Himalayas (The Hunter and the Hero - Book V) - Bhāravi
The towering Himalaya rose,
Surpassing mighty Meru high,
To view the limits of wide space,
Perchance to scale the lofty sky!
Surpassing mighty Meru high,
To view the limits of wide space,
Perchance to scale the lofty sky!
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