lunababymoonchild Posted October 4, 2018 Report Share Posted October 4, 2018 It's National Poetry Day today so I thought that I'd post my favourite poem, which I can say off by heart (more or less!) Lord Ullin's Daughter A chieftain, to the Highlands bound, Cries, ``Boatman, do not tarry! And I'll give thee a silver pound To row us o'er the ferry!''-- ``Now, who be ye, would cross Lochgyle, This dark and stormy weather?'' ``O, I'm the chief of Ulva's isle, And this, Lord Ullin's daughter.-- ``And fast before her father's men Three days we've fled together, For should he find us in the glen, My blood would stain the heather. ``His horsemen hard behind us ride; Should they our steps discover, Then who will cheer my bonny bride When they have slain her lover?''-- Out spoke the hardy Highland wight,-- ``I'll go, my chief--I'm ready:-- It is not for your silver bright; But for your winsome lady: ``And by my word! the bonny bird In danger shall not tarry; So, though the waves are raging white, I'll row you o'er the ferry.''-- By this the storm grew loud apace, The water-wraith was shrieking; And in the scowl of heaven each face Grew dark as they were speaking. But still as wilder blew the wind, And as the night grew drearer, Adown the glen rode armèd men, Their trampling sounded nearer.-- ``O haste thee, haste!'' the lady cries, ``Though tempests round us gather; I'll meet the raging of the skies, But not an angry father.''-- The boat has left a stormy land, A stormy sea before her,-- When, O! too strong for human hand, The tempest gather'd o'er her. And still they row'd amidst the roar Of waters fast prevailing: Lord Ullin reach'd that fatal shore,-- His wrath was changed to wailing. For, sore dismay'd through storm and shade, His child he did discover:-- One lovely hand she stretch'd for aid, And one was round her lover. ``Come back! come back!'' he cried in grief ``Across this stormy water: And I'll forgive your Highland chief, My daughter!--O my daughter!'' 'Twas vain: the loud waves lash'd the shore, Return or aid preventing: The waters wild went o'er his child, And he was left lamenting. Thomas Campbell I first met this at school when I was 12 or 13 and everything in my life at that time was "Oh woe is me!". The other class got to do Romeo and Juliet and I was not impressed - we were doing Hamlet. Then we got to read this and all was forgiven. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Heather Posted October 4, 2018 Report Share Posted October 4, 2018 Just the sort of poem to appeal to children. The one that turned me on to poetry was: Sherwood in the twilight, is Robin Hood awake? Grey and ghostly shadows are gliding through the brake, Shadows of the dappled deer, dreaming of the morn, Dreaming of a shadowy man that winds a shadowy horn. Robin Hood is here again: all his merry thieves Hear a ghostly bugle-note shivering through the leaves, Calling as he used to call, faint and far away, In Sherwood, in Sherwood, about the break of day. Merry, merry England has kissed the lips of June: All the wings of fairyland were here beneath the moon, Like a flight of rose-leaves fluttering in a mist Of opal and ruby and pearl and amethyst. Merry, merry England is waking as of old, With eyes of blither hazel and hair of brighter gold: For Robin Hood is here again beneath the bursting spray In Sherwood, in Sherwood, about the break of day. Love is in the greenwood building him a house Of wild rose and hawthorn and honeysuckle boughs: Love is in the greenwood, dawn is in the skies, And Marian is waiting with a glory in her eyes. Hark! The dazzled laverock climbs the golden steep! Marian is waiting: is Robin Hood asleep? Round the fairy grass-rings frolic elf and fay, In Sherwood, in Sherwood, about the break of day. Oberon, Oberon, rake away the gold, Rake away the red leaves, roll away the mould, Rake away the gold leaves, roll away the red, And wake Will Scarlett from his leafy forest bed. Friar Tuck and Little John are riding down together With quarter-staff and drinking-can and grey goose-feather. The dead are coming back again, the years are rolled away In Sherwood, in Sherwood, about the break of day. Softly over Sherwood the south wind blows. All the heart of England hid in every rose Hears across the greenwood the sunny whisper leap, Sherwood in the red dawn, is Robin Hood asleep? Hark, the voice of England wakes him as of old And, shattering the silence with a cry of brighter gold Bugles in the greenwood echo from the steep, Sherwood in the red dawn, is Robin Hood asleep? Where the deer are gliding down the shadowy glen All across the glades of fern he calls his merry men-- Doublets of the Lincoln green glancing through the May In Sherwood, in Sherwood, about the break of day-- Calls them and they answer: from aisles of oak and ash Rings the Follow! Follow! and the boughs begin to crash, The ferns begin to flutter and the flowers begin to fly, And through the crimson dawning the robber band goes by. Robin! Robin! Robin! All his merry thieves Answer as the bugle-note shivers through the leaves, Calling as he used to call, faint and far away, In Sherwood, in Sherwood, about the break of day. Alfred Noyes - 'A Song of Sherwood' I wouldn't say it's my favourite poem now, though. Probably 'The Waste Land', which wouldn't have meant much to me when I was that age. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
megustaleer Posted October 4, 2018 Report Share Posted October 4, 2018 This had passed my by, again, until I saw luna's post this afternoon. Once upon a time radio4 had poems read intermittently throughout the day, but I listen to far less radio these days, so didn't hear about it from there. I haven't spent my day without any poems, though, as I spent some time this morning looking for poems to read at our next U3A poetry group on Tuesday (theme: food & drink). I also managed to wish all the poetry group members "Happy National Poetry Day" when I saw them at the U3A general monthly meeting this afternoon. I don't have a favourite poem any more, I enjoy so many of them - nor a favourite poet , for the same reason. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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