Of scent and song the daughter.

beauty, poetry, trees, ,

THE MAGNOLIA

Deep in the wood, of scent and song the daughter,
Perfect and bright is the magnolia born;
White as a flake of foam upon still water,
White as soft fleece upon rough brambles torn.
Hers is a cup a workman might have fashioned
Of Grecian marble in an age remote.
Hers is a beauty perfect and impassioned,
As when a woman bares her rounded throat.
There is a tale of how the moon, her lover,
Holds her enchanted by some magic spell;
Something about a dove that broods above her,
Or dies within her breast—I cannot tell.
I cannot say where I have heard the story,
Upon what poet’s lips; but this I know:
Her heart is like a pearl’s, or like the glory
Of moonbeams frozen on the spotless snow.

-José Santos Chocano  (1875 – 1934) Peru
Translated by John Pierrepont Rice

Magnolia, by Cuno Amiet

 

You and I, we do not shrink.

humor, poetry, weather,

When I was in the Midwest recently I enjoyed watching through big windows the rainstorms with lightning and thunder. I don’t understand this poem’s title — can anyone explain it to me?  I did find the whole thing fun to read. But then, I’ve never experienced a hurricane.

A WATCHED EXAMPLE NEVER BOILS

The weather is so very mild
That some would call it warm.
Good gracious, aren’t we lucky, child?
Here comes a thunderstorm.

The sky is now indelible ink,
The branches reft asunder;
But you and I, we do not shrink;
We love the lovely thunder.

The garden is a raging sea,
The hurricane is snarling;
Oh happy you and happy me!
Isn’t the lightning darling?

Fear not the thunder, little one.
It’s weather, simply weather;
It’s friendly giants full of fun
Clapping their hands together.

I hope of lightning our supply
Will never be exhausted;
You know it’s lanterns in the sky
For angels who are losted.

We love the kindly wind and hail,
The jolly thunderbolt,
We watch in glee the fairy trail
Of ampere, watt, and volt.

Oh, than to enjoy a storm like this
There’s nothing I would rather.
Don’t dive beneath the blankets, Miss!
Or else leave room for Father.

-Ogden Nash

Mama You’ve Done Well

poetry, women, ,

My only quibble with this poem is that the author essentially gives credit to his mother for thinking him into being. What part she did have in being his first cause, it was by an act, involving two people, and not a thought. God is the one Who formed us in secret, in our inward parts, and we praise Him for that, and thank Him for our mothers and all the many things they did, and refrained from doing, to cooperate with God in giving us life. ❤

MAMA  YOU’VE DONE WELL

I was first, a thought in your precious mind,
Until I became a living cell.
In the darkness of your motherly womb,
It took me nine long months to be fully groomed.
And Mama, you’ve done well.

After all the suffering and pain
When you labored like hell,
You took me home with pride and joy
Knowing you’ve given birth to a healthy little boy.
And Mama, you’ve done well.

You comforted me when I cried,
And scolded me when I lied.
You didn’t yell.
You kept me warm,
In your loving arms,
And gave me enough to eat,
And taught me that I must never cheat.
And Mama, you’ve done well.

You took me to school
You didn’t want me to become a fool.
You taught me to count and spell.
You taught me a tree started as a seed,
And if I want to become great I must learn to read.
And Mama, you’ve done well.

You taught me about good and evil,
And that I must respect everyone,
Especially old people.
And I must pray to God,
And read my Bible.
And Mama, you’ve done well.

And now that I’m a man
Handsome and strong
With much to tell
I can honestly say
Each and everyday
Thank you Mama, you’ve done well.

-Erwin Jones, (21st century) Belize

Mother by Elizabeth Nourse