Today's poet

[Harry H Howgill]

For GMT who I visited yesterday.

Names - Wendy Cope

She was eliza for a few weeks
When she was a baby -
Eliza Lily. Soon it changed to Lil.

Later she was Miss Steward in the baker's shop
And then 'my love', 'my darling', Mother.

Widowed at thirty, she went back to work
As Mrs Hand. Her daughter grew up,
Married and gave birth.

Now she was Nanna. 'Everybody
Calls me nanna,' she would say to visitors.
And so they did - friends, tradesmen, the doctor.

In the geriatric ward
They used the patients' Christian names.
'Lil,' we said, 'or Nanna,'
But it wasn't in her file
And for those last bewildered weeks
She was Eliza once again.

[Harry H Howgill]

Stick with it Herackles. We all have our low times so don't give up yet. Have a breather for a while, but you'll be back I'm sure.

Dream taker.

Another thing ruined by my own personal hell,
My dreams are gone of running on the fell,
It beats me every time this de habilitating disease,
Picks me up throws me around it does as it please,
The strength in me wains from the fight everyday,
I suppose i should be pleased that i'm here today,
But i'm not as everything i want it has to ruin,
Waking up once again to find the battle ensuing,
No one deserves this it's so much stronger than it seems,
It allows you to live but destroys all your dreams.

By Herakles.

[freckle]

Here's two choices, inspired by tonight's sky. One for the south, and one for the north.

Every Day You Play

Pablo Neruda

Every day you play with the light of the universe.
Subtle visitor, you arrive in the flower and the water.
You are more than this white head that I hold tightly
as a cluster of fruit, every day, between my hands.

You are like nobody since I love you.
Let me spread you out among yellow garlands.
Who writes your name in letters of smoke among the stars of the south?
Oh let me remember you as you were before you existed.

Suddenly the wind howls and bangs at my shut window.
The sky is a net crammed with shadowy fish.
Here all the winds let go sooner or later, all of them.
The rain takes off her clothes.

The birds go by, fleeing.
The wind. The wind.
I can contend only against the power of men.
The storm whirls dark leaves
and turns loose all the boats that were moored last night to the sky.

You are here. Oh, you do not run away.
You will answer me to the last cry.
Cling to me as though you were frightened.
Even so, at one time a strange shadow ran through your eyes.

Now, now too, little one, you bring me honeysuckle,
and even your breasts smell of it.
While the sad wind goes slaughtering butterflies
I love you, and my happiness bites the plum of your mouth.

How you must have suffered getting accustomed to me,
my savage, solitary soul, my name that sends them all running.
So many times we have seen the morning star burn, kissing our eyes,
and over our heads the gray light unwind in turning fans.

My words rained over you, stroking you.
A long time I have loved the sunned mother-of-pearl of your body.
I go so far as to think that you own the universe.
I will bring you happy flowers from the mountains, bluebells,
dark hazels, and rustic baskets of kisses.
I want
to do with you what spring does with the cherry trees.

Northern Sky

Nick Drake

I never felt magic crazy as this
I never saw moons knew the meaning of the sea
I never held emotion in the palm of my hand
Or felt sweet breezes in the top of a tree
But now you're here
Brighten my northern sky.

I've been a long time that I'm waiting
Been a long that I'm blown
I've been a long time that I've wandered
Through the people I have known
Oh, if you would and you could
Straighten my new mind's eye.

Would you love me for my money
Would you love me for my head
Would you love me through the winter
Would you love me 'til I'm dead
Oh, if you would and you could
Come blow your horn on high.

I never felt magic crazy as this
I never saw moons knew the meaning of the sea
I never held emotion in the palm of my hand
Or felt sweet breezes in the top of a tree
But now you're here
Brighten my northern sky.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znmGyzgmVcA

These two choices are beautiful Harry!...the first is one of my fave pablo poems i particularly like the lines "my happiness bites the plum of your mouth" and "how you must have suffered getting accustomed to me..and my solitary soul" lovely! .......i also really like the drake lyrics and nice to listen to his dulcet tones whilst reading the words.....thank you

[freckle]

Stick with it Herackles. We all have our low times so don't give up yet. Have a breather for a while, but you'll be back I'm sure.

I agree, i felt really rotten y day before i went for a run, sometimes you just have to force yourself and also think about your expectations, are they realistic? My goal this year is just to complete a few fell races, if i aim any higher i will feel like i am failing, keep taking those small steps towards your goal Herakles...keep the faith x

[Harry H Howgill]

These two choices are beautiful Harry!...the first is one of my fave pablo poems i particularly like the lines "my happiness bites the plum of your mouth" and "how you must have suffered getting accustomed to me..and my solitary soul" lovely! .......i also really like the drake lyrics and nice to listen to his dulcet tones whilst reading the words.....thank you

I love the "getting accustomed to me" line too, and Northern Sky is one of my favoutite Nick Drake songs.

I finished watching Il Postino about Pablo this weekend which was absolutely gorgeous. I found it sweet and I laughed more than I was expecting to do. There must be something in this poetry lark. One minute the character had his first kiss, the next minute he was married!

[freckle]

I love the "getting accustomed to me" line too, and Northern Sky is one of my favoutite Nick Drake songs.

I finished watching Il Postino about Pablo this weekend which was absolutely gorgeous. I found it sweet and I laughed more than I was expecting to do. There must be something in this poetry lark. One minute the character had his first kiss, the next minute he was married!

I have got to watch it sometime very soon!

[freckle]

Conversation with a six year old

Will you come running with me soon Sophe?
Up a mountain like?
I will mam, but I’ll not run as much as you mam,
I don’t want feet like yours.

[Harry H Howgill]

Conversation with a six year old

Will you come running with me soon Sophe?
Up a mountain like?
I will mam, but I’ll not run as much as you mam,
I don’t want feet like yours.

Wonderful.

Does the truth hurt? Or just your feet!

[freckle]

Wonderful.

Does the truth hurt? Or just your feet!

He he! .....well i can't be COMPLETELY gorgeous can I? runners feet eh? its only gonna get worse as well...think anniversary waltz!...anyway hope your heels are fattening up nicely for your next challenge!

Running ace
revises training plan
chips needed
to cushion the soul
in time for a dance
of the fell running kind!

Eeeee dear, i do hope armitage isn't perusing this twaddle of mine! (not at all representative honest!)

[Hes]

He he! .....well i can't be COMPLETELY gorgeous can I? runners feet eh? its only gonna get worse as well...think anniversary waltz!...anyway hope your heels are fattening up nicely for your next challenge!

Running ace
revises training plan
chips needed
to cushion the soul
in time for a dance
of the fell running kind!

Eeeee dear, i do hope armitage isn't perusing this twaddle of mine! (not at all representative honest!)

Evening Freckle, HHH et al...alas, I have been a stranger to this thread of late and am only here for a brief visit tonight but I have just finished perusing the latest posts and have really enjoyed the work here. I have at last had one night of sufficient sleep and a day of catching up with important and neglected things including my allotment:

today I struck gold
my soul nourished by the earth
I found potatos