Today's poet

[Hes]

Girly Knee? well, that sounds far better than my 'disappointing left buttock'! I am really pleased that you've discovered how to treat your injury Freckle. I hope you get that knee sorted really soon. I ran with the fast lads tonight and whilst I am still trailing behind, I felt no pain (in my knee...lungs were another thing!) and I feel much stronger. The main reason, I think, is that I'm finally doing those exercises that my physio set me. Here's to us both having good physios that understand runners!

Indeed, early enought to fit in a very productive meeting with a physio who diagnosed something akin to "girly knee"...apparently I have a weakness in the inside left bit of my quad which is giving me knee pain but the good new is that I can build that muscle up fairly quickly and it doesn't preclude running in the long term. Apparently many women are prone to this type of weakness becuase their hips are wider hence the tag I have given it of "girlie knee". Some brilliant stuff on here this morning especially raspberries...I need to nick off now tho cos I am supposed to be working...looking forward to re reading all posts later...

[Hes]

That's just what I needed to read this evening MG, thanks so much.

Thoughts While Climbing

Today I climbed a rock
while of my life I tried to take stock,
and while I was climbing I was thinking
that I can't go on sinking.
There is a bottom to every trench
every loose nut can be tightened with a wrench.
And so it's time to remember the strength of my past,
all loose ropes to make fast,
adjust the tiller and steer to the new course
and remember that happiness comes from more than one source.

Eldritch Mungo

[freckle]

Girly Knee? well, that sounds far better than my 'disappointing left buttock'! I am really pleased that you've discovered how to treat your injury Freckle. I hope you get that knee sorted really soon. I ran with the fast lads tonight and whilst I am still trailing behind, I felt no pain (in my knee...lungs were another thing!) and I feel much stronger. The main reason, I think, is that I'm finally doing those exercises that my physio set me. Here's to us both having good physios that understand runners!

thanks Hes good to hear that your injury has improved too and well done on running with the fast lads...one thing about being at the back of a pack of athletic folk is you can admire the view ...tee hee!

[Mountain Goatess]

thanks Hes good to hear that your injury has improved too and well done on running with the fast lads...one thing about being at the back of a pack of athletic folk is you can admire the view ...tee hee!

Do hope you get that knee sorted Freckle, I'm hoping to join you for a post race shandy at Simonside! :wink:
I like your thinking re the back of the pack view! I must say there were some gorgeous legs on show at Kielder....shame about the faces though! ha ha! :w00t:

[freckle]

Do hope you get that knee sorted Freckle, I'm hoping to join you for a post race shandy at Simonside! :wink:
I like your thinking re the back of the pack view! I must say there were some gorgeous legs on show at Kielder....shame about the faces though! ha ha! :w00t:

Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to make Simonside lets see what's possible but running or not I think its highly likely you will see me at the bar! Thanks for your kind words x

[Alf]

Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to make Simonside lets see what's possible but running or not I think its highly likely you will see me at the bar! Thanks for your kind words x

The old Alfer will be at Simonside this year

[Alf]

I know its not spring....but I love this poem, the imagery, the sense of loss and the last four lines...

THE WIDOW'S LAMENT IN SPRINGTIME

by: William Carlos Williams (1883-1963)

Sorrow is my own yard
where the new grass
flames as it has flamed
often before but not
with the cold fire
that closes round me this year.
Thirtyfive years
I lived with my husband.
The plumtree is white today
with masses of flowers.
Masses of flowers
load the cherry branches
and color some bushes
yellow and some red
but the grief in my heart
is stronger than they
for though they were my joy
formerly, today I notice them
and turned away forgetting.
Today my son told me
that in the meadows,
at the edge of the heavy woods
in the distance, he saw
trees of white flowers.
I feel that I would like
to go there
and fall into those flowers
and sink into the marsh near them.

Smashing little poem that freckle. Its probably spring in Australia at the moment :wink:

[Alf]

Thoughts While Climbing

Today I climbed a rock
while of my life I tried to take stock,
and while I was climbing I was thinking
that I can't go on sinking.
There is a bottom to every trench
every loose nut can be tightened with a wrench.
And so it's time to remember the strength of my past,
all loose ropes to make fast,
adjust the tiller and steer to the new course
and remember that happiness comes from more than one source.

Eldritch Mungo

I liked that one MG and what a great name for a poet

[Derby Tup]

Here Comes Autumn

The grieving willows droop in deep mourning,
Their sad hair streaming like teardrops falling.
Here comes autumn, here comes the autumn cold
In its faded mantle woven with leaves of gold.

Various blossoms have fallen off their branch
Amidst a garden where the red mingles with blue.
The trembling breath of breeze shakes the leaves and
A few shriveled limbs like fragile bones in somber hue.

At times the moon appears with all her puzzled look.
And on the far side mountains start to veil with fog.
I hear the bitter cold stirring the wind,
But see no boats making their cross-stream run.

High in the cloudy sky the birds flee on
While the leaden air broods o'er the parting.
A few sad girls against the door lean in silence
Looking pensively into the distance

Xuan Dieu

I'm off to Vietnam tomorrow so it seemed appropriate to find a poem translated from Vietnamese

[Alf]

Here Comes Autumn

The grieving willows droop in deep mourning,
Their sad hair streaming like teardrops falling.
Here comes autumn, here comes the autumn cold
In its faded mantle woven with leaves of gold.

Various blossoms have fallen off their branch
Amidst a garden where the red mingles with blue.
The trembling breath of breeze shakes the leaves and
A few shriveled limbs like fragile bones in somber hue.

At times the moon appears with all her puzzled look.
And on the far side mountains start to veil with fog.
I hear the bitter cold stirring the wind,
But see no boats making their cross-stream run.

High in the cloudy sky the birds flee on
While the leaden air broods o'er the parting.
A few sad girls against the door lean in silence
Looking pensively into the distance

Xuan Dieu

I'm off to Vietnam tomorrow so it seemed appropriate to find a poem translated from Vietnamese

Have a good trip DT

I was reading a bit in the paper a few days ago about Google Software Engineers working on poetry translation that would translate not just words but rhyme and meter They took a famous French translation of Lewis Carroll's The Jabberwocky and tried to translate it back into English using the standard translator and it didn't come out too well so I think they will have their work cut out!

Google translation of first two verses (complete poem below that)

It wabe: the toves lubricilleux
Gimble twisting in the guava,
Mimsy were the gougebosqueux
And momerade horsgrave

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, avoids
The Band frumieux to take!"

JABBERWOCKY

`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.


"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"

He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought --
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.


And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!


One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.


"And, has thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
He chortled in his joy.


`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

Lewis Carroll