Wednesday 15 February 2012

Three more poems...

To make up for forgetting to post the poems up to Valentine's Day, including one of my all-time favourites:

He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven by W. B. Yeats

HAD I the heavens' embroidered cloths,
Enwrought with golden and silver light,
The blue and the dim and the dark cloths
Of night and light and the half-light,
I would spread the cloths under your feet:
But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.


ANIMALS by Frank O'Hara
Have you forgotten what we were like then
when we were still first rate 
and the day came fat with an apple in its mouth

it's no use worrying about Time 
but we did have a few tricks up our sleeves 
and turned some sharp corners 

the whole pasture looked like our meal 
we didn't need speedometers 
we could manage cocktails out of ice and water 

I wouldn't want to be faster 
or greener than now if you were with me O you 
were the best of all my days

She Walks in Beauty by Lord Byron

1
She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellowed to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.
2
One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impaired the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o'er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express,
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.
3
And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!

Saturday 11 February 2012

Love after love...

The time will come 
when, with elation 
you will greet yourself arriving 
at your own door, in your own mirror 
and each will smile at the other's welcome, 

and say, sit here. Eat. 
You will love again the stranger who was your self.
Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart 
to itself, to the stranger who has loved you 

all your life, whom you ignored 
for another, who knows you by heart. 
Take down the love letters from the bookshelf, 

the photographs, the desperate notes, 
peel your own image from the mirror. 
Sit. Feast on your life. 

Friday 10 February 2012

Love's silence...

Silentium Amoris by Oscar Wilde
As often-times the too resplendent sun
Hurries the pallid and reluctant moon
Back to her sombre cave, ere she hath won
A single ballad from the nightingale,
So doth thy Beauty make my lips to fail,
And all my sweetest singing out of tune.

And as at dawn across the level mead
On wings impetuous some wind will come,
And with its too harsh kisses break the reed
Which was its only instrument of song,
So my too stormy passions work me wrong,
And for excess of Love my Love is dumb.

But surely unto Thee mine eyes did show
Why I am silent, and my lute unstrung;
Else it were better we should part, and go,
Thou to some lips of sweeter melody,
And I to nurse the barren memory
Of unkissed kisses, and songs never sung.

Thursday 9 February 2012

MoM...




If you're still smarting from the pressure of Prelims, or the NABs are really starting to niggle, or are just generally stressed out of your head these days, mindfulness might just be for you. There are huge numbers of studies to show that mindfulness techniques help people in a wide variety of ways... without drugs! It can help you with your confidence, concentration, stress, anxiety, and general sense of wellbeing. It's quick (although you can do techniques which take a little longer if you like), free, and, in a sense, easy.

Here are just a few of the published benefits:

1. Improve focus, concentration, and precision.
2. Enhance the quality of communications and relationships.
3. Heighten the clarity of our thinking and intentions.
4. Improve efficiency and safety.
5. Deepen peace of mind and sense of flow.
6. Master stress.
7. Deepen insight and intuitive wisdom.
8. Awaken more authenticity, heart, soul, and caring in our lives and work.
9. Increase resilience to change.
10. Strengthen self-confidence.

Read more here

The S6 group 'Ministry of Mindfulness' will now start up after the February break. Times are as follows:

Thursdays Period 2
Thursdays Period 5

Both in Room 202. Email me or see me in person to sign up, as there is limited space. Check the MoM tab above periodically, and the Senior Social Area for MoM 'Try-its'--techniques you can try yourself or during one of the periods above.

How do I love thee?

Continuing the series of love poetry, or poems of love, ahead of Valentine's Day... This one you may know already:
Sonnet 43 - How do I love thee? Let me count the ways by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
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 the 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.

Wednesday 8 February 2012

Valentine, by Carol Anne Duffy

Valentine's Day is coming... here's something a little different...
 
Valentine
Not a red rose or a satin heart.

 I give you an onion.
 It is a moon wrapped in brown paper.
 It promises light
 like the careful undressing of love.

 Here.
 It will blind you with tears
 like a lover.
 It will make your reflection
 a wobbling photo of grief.

 I am trying to be truthful.

 Not a cute card or kissogram.

 I give you an onion.
 Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips,
 possessive and faithful
 as we are,
 for as long as we are.

 Take it.
 Its platinum loops shrink to a wedding ring,
 if you like.
 Lethal.
 Its scent will cling to your fingers,
 cling to your knife.
-- Carol Ann Duffy