Last week, if you'd asked me about favourite poets and poems, I would have rattled off an eclectic list of poems from Byron, Leonard Cohen or Philip Larkin to name only three.
Yesterday, I was in the car feeling pretty fed up about something. The radio was feeding me rubbish so I hit the button to tune in to our local radio station - at the exact moment that the presenter started reading this:
I remember, I remember,
The house where I was born,
The little window where the sun
Came peeping in at morn;
He never came a wink too soon,
Nor brought too long a day,
But now, I often wish the night
Had borne my breath away!
I remember, I remember,
The roses, red and white,
The vi'lets, and the lily-cups,
Those flowers made of light!
The lilacs where the robin built,
And where my brother set
The laburnum on his birthday,—
The tree is living yet!
I remember, I remember,
Where I was used to swing,
And thought the air must rush as fresh
To swallows on the wing;
My spirit flew in feathers then,
That is so heavy now,
And summer pools could hardly cool
The fever on my brow!
I remember, I remember,
The fir trees dark and high;
I used to think their slender tops
Were close against the sky:
It was a childish ignorance,
But now 'tis little joy
To know I'm farther off from heav'n
Than when I was a boy.
(Thomas Hood)
My spirits lifted immediately and I was so pleased to be reminded of how much I love that poem. Strange how I could have forgotten really. So a huge thank you to BBC Radio Lancashire.
Hmm. I wonder how many more great poems I've forgotten about.
The weekend's upon us again. Do you have any exciting plans? My main aim is to tidy the house. Exciting, huh? I'm surrounded by clutter and it's driving me crazy. I also plan on doing some reading, working on the novel, and finally getting to visit your blogs.
Happy weekend, all!