Wednesday 16 January 2019

Poetry

We had a super Poetry meeting today - only two members missing - and a varied and interesting variety of poems.   Thank you to those who gave me ideas = I read a few of them and they were well received.   I would have read more of your suggestions except that I had already come across Dylan Thomas's 'Poem in October' (It was my thirtieth year to heaven) and I just had to read that.
Thomas - that absolute master with words - didn't disappoint. 

H read one of my favourite poems - Shelley's 'On a favourite cat drowned in a tub of goldfishes'.   How I loved that poem as a child - my father would read it to me night after night; it was always the poem I wanted to hear.   Every time I hear it now it reminds me of him and the happy childhood I was lucky enough to have.  Shelley was only thirty when he died - one wonders how his poetry would have developed had he lived longer. 

Tess had her long walk with friend S while we were at poetry, so she happily ate her tea and settled down for the evening.   Everything on our television is in one way or another about Brexit and really I (and many others like me) have no desire to listen to any more until common sense prevails.   So I shall now go and trawl through iplayer to see if I can find something light and interesting to watch.   I have run out of reading matter sadly.

17 comments:

Rachel Phillips said...

Your father was a wise and rare man to read poetry to you.

Traveller said...

New Years resolution for you..never run out of reading material.

In my neck of the woods there are several decommissioned phone boxes that have been turned into book depositories. Some act as libraries, others adopt a “help yoursel:” approach. I have picked up lots of interesting books, including a few poetry books.

Ruth said...

Dear Pat - I wouldn't even mention this except that I, too, have been making slips of the tongue/memory, me more so than you! It would take too much space for me to begin to describe my many embarrassing moments, so I'll spare you. Since I'd never read any of the poems you've described here, I looked them up. I found that Thomas Gray wrote "On the Death of a Favorite Cat..." I'm familiar with Shelley but not with Gray, so for that I truly thank you, because now I know something about Gray, bless your dear heart! Old age is tripping me up more and more - probably for me I should just sit back and stay quiet! You are running rings around me!!! xoxoxoxox

Simon Douglas Thompson said...

Poor cat! Sounds horrible!

Rachel Phillips said...

Shelley drowned in a storm.

Sue said...

I have the opposite problem - lots of books piled up to read. But I've been concentrating on needle-felting whenever I sit down, so I've been binge-watching several series on Netflix and Prime while felting away. The books will still be there when I'm caught up!

Joanne Noragon said...

We are so sadly missing in common sense.

Judith said...

Galway Kinnell's poem Shelley offers a different view of the poet. Worth reading I think.

Cro Magnon said...

I only ever read Belloc to my Children. The cautionary advice had no long-term effect.

Librarian said...

Like Sue, I have the opposite problem - so many books I really, really want to read, but lack both the time and the eyes for long reading these days.
Common sense? I think that has largely become extinct over the past few years.

Derek Faulkner said...

So pleased that you chose "Poem in October", it describes the countryside so well.

thelma said...

Try The Victorian House of Arts and Crafts, first episode on BBC 2 IPlayer, the next friday night. Sheer chaos in Parliament and it is the lives and livelhoods of the people of this country they are messing around with!

The Weaver of Grass said...

ruth - you are absolutely right - it is of course Thomas Gray. We spent quite a lot of time talking about Shelley at Poetry group amd I think he was on my mind.
Rachel = yes, he led rather a profligate life too didn't he?
Thanks for that -- nothing much on TV tonight so I shall try that on iplayer.
Thelma - I did make a note to watch that programme and then somebody called and I forgot about it. As for parliament - the less said the better.

Minigranny said...

Poem in October was a good choice as Dylan always wanted his poems to be read aloud.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thanks for the comments everyone. Minigranny - interesting thought.

Derek Faulkner said...

I have a cassette of Dylan reading the above poem - it's quite splendid.

Heather said...

I will read four of five books in a row and then go on to other activities for a while. Like you, I am without anything I really want to read at present. Perhaps a visit to our charity book shop is due.
As for politics - the present situation doesn't encourage one to take an interest in current affairs, does it.