Today's poet

[Nathaniel Lee]

Great poem Grouse. Is it your own creation. Really impressive.

[Grouse]

By heck no! It's John Clare. Sorry, should have said so.

[Mossdog]

Far spread the moory ground, a level scene

Bespread with rush and one eternal green,
That never felt the rage of blundering plough,
Though centuries wreathed spring blossoms on its brow.
Autumn met plains that stretched them far away
In unchecked shadows of green, brown, and grey.

Unbounded freedom ruled the wandering scene;
No fence of ownership crept in between
To hide the prospect from the gazing eye;
Its only bondage was the circling sky.
A mighty flat, undwarfed by bush and tree,
Spread its faint shadow of immensity,
And lost itself, which seemed to eke its bounds,
In the blue mist the horizon's edge surrounds.

Bloody Fantastic. One of yours?

[Mossdog]

Ah I see - John Clare (1793-1864)

Great find Grouse - thanks.

[Grouse]

Errr... no. I was looking for another one of John Clare's with the line 'above the vaulted sky' if I remember right if it rings any bells (about bivvying). Actually that is only half in jest, John Clare was a fascinating character who spent a big chunk of his life in lunatic asylum and he 'escaped' from one and made a long trek home. I think he was one of these artists, like Van Gogh, whose 'artistic vision' was too unbearably intense for his mind. I thin kmost of his poems are about nature.

[Grouse]

Found it: this is the final verse of 'I Am' written in Northampton County Asylum

I long for scenes where man has never trod;
A place where woman never smiled or wept;
There to abide with my Creator, God,
And sleep as I in childhood sweetly slept:
Untroubling and untroubled where I lie;
The grass below - above the vaulted sky.

[freckle]

Cheers Freckle - I will enjoy listening to the author.

This is a bit off thread but have you checked out this site and this guy - really inspirational. It was suggested to me by a friend so if you enjoy it, please pass it on.

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/be...d_passion.html

Thanks Mossdog i will look forward to listening to that when I can it looks really interesting, I watched first 5 mins and he was funny, then kids interrupted me with Halloween type requests!

Grouse I too really enjoyed the Clare poems you posted and the insight into his life and torment...the "vaulted sky" poem was particularly moving....there is the common belief is there not that there is a fine line between "insanity" and creativity (whatever that reductionist concept means, as an aside I think it tells us nothing to label someone as "mad", in fact I think it is sometimes an all too convenient label for us to explain something that we do not understand and are frightened of...anyway I am digressing massively....thanks again for posting such a fab poem!)

I can't remember if I have posted this poem by Emily Dickinson but here it is again so apologies if I have...like it tho....and it seems relevant somehow after all the heated debates recently....

The Life that tied too tight too escape,
Will ever run
With a prudential look behind
And spectres of the Rein-
The Horse that scents the loving Grass
And sees the Pastures smile,
Will be retaken with a shot
If he is caught at all-

[freckle]

Oooooo a poetry competition.....!!!!!!

anyone fancy entering their haiku? or other creations....if so you aint got long!....

The National Poetry Competition closes Saturday 31 October at midnight (UK time).

Get your poems in online at http://tinyurl.com/d5o5et

you never know

(I wasn't always this nerdy!...honest!!!! its cos i got a day off training)

[Mountain Goatess]

A little weeping fairy found
A patch of sunshine on the ground
She knew it was the very thing
To mend a hole torn in her wing
She dried her eyes, picked up the patch
And saw it would exactly match
So sitting beneath a tree they say
She sewed it on and flew away.

[Harry H Howgill]

Evening all,

I'm glad John Claire finally got a mention. There is a lovely CD by a lass called Vicky Clayton who put a load of them to music which I dug out again as a result of this thread.

I need a bit of inspiration for tonight's efforts, so I'd love a few suggestions.