PIC-APART CELEBRATES MAY WITH ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING
Pic-Apart Celebrates May With Elizabeth Barrett Browning
This month we feature Elizabeth Barrett Browning, a poet who celebrates so many facets of love in such a special way. “How do I love Thee? Let me count the ways” from her SONNETS FROM THE PORTUGUESE is perhaps one of the most recognizable poetic lines ever written.
For ever, since my childish looks
Could rest on Nature’s pictured books;
For ever, since my childish tongue
Could name the themes our bards have sung;
So long, the sweetness of their singing
Hath been to me a rapture bringing!
Yet ask me not the reason why
I have delight in minstrelsy.
I know that much whereof I sing,
Is shapen but for vanishing;
I know that summer’s flower and leaf
And shine and shade are very brief,
And that the heart they brighten, may,
Before them all, be sheathed in clay! —
I do not know the reason why
I have delight in minstrelsy.
A few there are, whose smile and praise
My minstrel hope, would kindly raise:
But, of those few — Death may impress
The lips of some with silentness;
While some may friendship’s faith resign,
And heed no more a song of mine. —
Ask not, ask not the reason why
I have delight in minstrelsy.
The sweetest song that minstrels sing,
Will charm not Joy to tarrying;
The greenest bay that earth can grow,
Will shelter not in burning woe;
A thousand voices will not cheer,
When one is mute that aye is dear! —
Is there, alas! no reason why
I have delight in minstrelsy.
I do not know! The turf is green
Beneath the rain’s fast-dropping sheen,
Yet asks not why that deeper hue
Doth all its tender leaves renew; —
And I, like-minded, am content,
While music to my soul is sent,
To question not the reason why
I have delight in minstrelsy.
Years pass — my life with them shall pass:
And soon, the cricket in the grass
And summer bird, shall louder sing
Than she who owns a minstrel’s string.
Oh then may some, the dear and few,
Recall her love, whose truth they knew;
When all forget to question why
She had delight in minstrelsy!
Elizabeth Barrett Browning
And her Sonnet XLIV celebrates love
with the flowers of summer:
Beloved, thou hast brought me many flowers
Plucked in the garden, all the summer through
And winter, and it seemed as if they grew
In this close room, nor missed the sun and showers.
So, in the like name of that love of ours,
Take back these thoughts which here unfolded too,
And which on warm and cold days I withdrew
From my heart’s ground. Indeed, those beds and bowers
Be overgrown with bitter weeds and rue,
And wait thy weeding; yet here’s eglantine,
Here ‘s ivy !–take them, as I used to do
Thy flowers, and keep them where they shall not pine.
Instruct thine eyes to keep their colors true,
And tell thy soul their roots are left in mine.
Elizabeth Barrett Browning
and create a new piece (or pieces)
of your own using only those 25 words.
Remember though that the words
may be repeated and the tenses changed
so that your piece may be well over 25 total words.
You’re most definitely not limited to a 25-word piece.
And who’s really counting anyway?
The object is to have fun with this
and to share with one another.
And finally, some links to further EBB information:
http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/152
http://www.gale.cengage.com/free_resources/poets/bio/browning_e.htm
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/elizabeth-barrett-browning
Delighting in the pieces you bring to share with us,
we look forward to spending this time together.
and such fun we have sharing poetry and creating
with the 25 words selected from the posted pieces.
We look forward to what you bring to share with us tonight and throughout tomorrow as Pic-Apart Poetry celebrates May with Elizabeth Barrett Browning.
~Barb K and Cherie~
Welcome to the May Edition of Pic-Apart Poetry. It’s always such fun see what we can create each month with just 25 words. We look forward to what we all can create and share with one another. Thanks so much to Cherie for suggesting Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Her poetry has always been a favorite. We are open to all suggestions and would love to feature the poetry of all our Pals here as well. Looking forward to what you bring back to share with us.
MY GRADEN
Plucked in the garden
Thou hast brought me many flowers
From my hearts ground indeed
Thy flowers
Keep them where they shall not pine
Written: Bettie Davis ————– © May 29 , 2o12
(VANISHING)
HER LIPS ARE SWEET,HER LOVE IS DEAR.
HER VOICE IS TENDER.
HER SOUL DEEPER THAN THE TRUTH.
I DO NOT KNOW THE REASON WHY,
HER LOVE IS BRIEF.
SO BRIEF.
DEATH MAY IMPRESS.
TAKE MY HAND(THE MAN WITHIN)
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SUMMER’S DELIGHT
Summer’s flower,
such brief delight,
plucked with love
on warm days content
as dear birds sweetly sing
their joyful summer song
to brighten and cheer
and to bring a renewed smile
to this heart of mine.
(c) barbara kausteklis 5-29-12
Well, time to call it a day as it’s approaching midnight here in Southern California. Thanks for sharing tonight and I’ll be back in the morning to catch up again over coffee. Looking forward to what you bring to share with us. Rest well.
Greetings and Good Morning on this beautiful Wednesday morning. Looking forward to today and to what Elizabeth Barrett Browning inspires you to create. Big Hugs and Coffeetime Cheers from Southern California. ~barb~
Superb topic and selections Barbara and Cherie! Classic Victorian romantic poetry created through the unique Browning life story! 😀
Great blog with great selections, Barbara and Cherie! Lovely writes as well! :love:
~
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THE SWEETEST SOUND
Friendship’s song,
the sweetest sound,
delighting my heart
on this loveliest of days,
bringing joy and cheer
even to winter’s cold
and throughout the summer,
as with vanishing showers
these warm days unfold.
(c) barbara kausteklis 5-30-12
Thanks so much to everyone who celebrated with us today. I’m already looking forward to next month and it’s hard to believe that June is right around the corner. Please do let either Cherie or me know if you’d like us to feature a favorite poet of yours. And we’d really love to feature all our Pals here so just send us a couple of pieces to our personal Friendburst mailboxes and give us your permission to feature YOU and we’ll do the rest. Big Hugs and Love to All. :love: :love: :love: