Today's poet

[Sunbeam Alpine]

A warmish but threatening day on the coast . May do Forestburngate tomorrow - but can you run as FPS when you've only done 4 posts?

Here's one for the summer from Wales land of poetry and mathematics - with Swansea's bard - Joe Dunthorne:

When picking your spot, look for a balance
of elements.Always show respect to those
wearing lower factors than you.Always check
downwind before shaking out your towel.

Lie back. Let the sand make a duplicate
of your spine.Match your breath to the tide.
Clear away all thoughts (now that wasn't
so tough). Let your body do the thinking.

On the backs of your eyelids, you will likely
see your childhood sweetheart in flames,
dowsed in lamp oil. This is natural .
Let her dance . You deepen by the hour.

Worship by Joe Dunthorne

[freckle]

hi sunbeam

this is rather special mind...i may well have joined you on that run but need to get a long one in tomorrow, we would be proud if your were to run as a FPS er!....enjoy!

[freckle]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/poetryseason/po...as_hardy.shtml

[Hes]

A rare opportunity to dip into the thread but I'm very pleased to say that a holiday in Crete is only two days away! This evening I heard on R4 that Sappho was the first person to have described (in writing) the moon as silver...so, on that note and with my Greek hols in mind, here she is:

THE MOON
by: Sappho

The stars about the lovely moon
Fade back and vanish very soon,
When, round and full, her silver face
Swims into sight, and lights all space.

[Hes]

I love MacCaig's poems about birds and in searching for some found this:

TRUE WAYS OF KNOWING

Not an ounce excessive, not an inch too little,
Our easy reciprocations. You let me know
The way a boat would feel, if it could feel,
The intimate support of water.

The news you bring me has been news forever,
So that I understand what a stone would say
If only a stone could speak. Is it sad a grassblade
Can't know how it is lovely?

Is it sad that you can't know, except by hearsay
(My gossiping failing words) that you are the way
A water is that can clench its palm and crumple
A boat's confiding timbers?

But that's excessive, and too little. Knowing
The way a circle would describe its roundness,
We touch two selves and feel, complete and gentle,
The intimate support of being.

The way that flight would feel a bird flying
(If it could feel) is the way a space that's in
A stone that's in water would know itself
If it had our way of knowing.

Norman MacCaig

[freckle]

A rare opportunity to dip into the thread but I'm very pleased to say that a holiday in Crete is only two days away! This evening I heard on R4 that Sappho was the first person to have described (in writing) the moon as silver...so, on that note and with my Greek hols in mind, here she is:

THE MOON
by: Sappho

The stars about the lovely moon
Fade back and vanish very soon,
When, round and full, her silver face
Swims into sight, and lights all space.

Two beautiful choices Hes...I remember when we had a real run of poems about the moon...in fact carol duffy has edited a book of moon poems which is quite sizeable!....I hope you have a wonderful time in Crete, you certainly deserve a break after all the hard work you have put in lately!

well, bed for me i think...shattered...but happy ....night all...

To say before going to bed

I would like to sing someone to sleep,
have someone to sit by and be with.
I would like to cradle you and softly sing,
be your companion while you sleep or wake.
I would like to be the only person
in the house who knew: the night outside was cold.
And would like to listen to you
and outside to the world and to the woods.

The clocks are striking, calling to each other,
and one can see right to the edge of time.
Outside the house a strange man is afoot
and a strange dog barks, wakened from his sleep.
Beyond that there is silence.

My eyes rest upon your face wide-open;
and they hold you gently, letting you go
when something in the dark begins to move.

Rainer Maria Rilke

[Hes]

Puzzles

you try to fathom me
as I struggle with
the cryptic crossword
and life

bamboozled, we two

you kiss my cheek
and I catch my breath
finding the answer
to both my questions.

[Hes]

Oooh I love this Freckle! What a lovely choice and nice to catch you before you sleep. Goodnight and sweet dreams.xx

Tow beautiful choices Hes...I remember when we had a real run of poems about the moon...in fact carol duffy has edited a book of moon poems which is quite sizeable!....I hope you have a wonderful time in Crete, you certainly deserve a break after all the hard work you have put in lately!

well, bed for me i think...shattered...but happy ....night all...

To say before going to bed

I would like to sing someone to sleep,
have someone to sit by and be with.
I would like to cradle you and softly sing,
be your companion while you sleep or wake.
I would like to be the only person
in the house who knew: the night outside was cold.
And would like to listen to you
and outside to the world and to the woods.

The clocks are striking, calling to each other,
and one can see right to the edge of time.
Outside the house a strange man is afoot
and a strange dog barks, wakened from his sleep.
Beyond that there is silence.

My eyes rest upon your face wide-open;
and they hold you gently, letting you go
when something in the dark begins to move.

Rainer Maria Rilke

[freckle]

Puzzles

you try to fathom me
as I struggle with
the cryptic crossword
and life

bamboozled, we two

you kiss my cheek
and I catch my breath
finding the answer
to both my questions.

Now this is my very favourite type of poem!....good to see you on top form Hes! happy hols and na night xxx

[freckle]

my last offering for a few days...off to see some mountains...

Heartbeat by Rainer Maria Rilke

Only mouths are we. Who sings the distant heart
which safely exists in the center of all things?
His giant heartbeat is diverted in us
into little pulses. And his giant grief
is, like his giant jubilation, far too
great for us. And so we tear ourselves away
from him time after time, remaining only
mouths. But unexepectedly and secretly
the giant heartbeat enters our being,
so that we scream ----,
and are transformed in being and in countenance.