Artist

Alexander Averin

Sunday 29 June 2008

War and the Mind

Dear Diary,


Much Madness is Divinest Sense


Much Madness is divinest Sense
To a discerning Eye-
Much Sense—the starkest Madness-
‘Tis the Majority
In this, as All, prevail-
Assent—and you are sane
Demur—you’re straightway dangerous-
And handled with a Chain-

Emily Dickinson


Before I start I would ask of you - if you read nothing else today, read this blog extract, it is called Who/What/When/Will They/Get Help written by Bollinger Byrd, a fellow purplecooer.

Don't forget to come back here though, when you have read it
and watch this video.



James Blunt

No Bravery




*

Today is Sunday. No writing from me, I am stricken with a migrainous head but I am shamelessly treasure hunting for delights to share with you.

A friend recommended this first poem to me yesterday and reading it set me off on the search for others.


Counting the Mad

This one was put in a jacket,
This one was sent home,
This one was given bread and meat
But would eat none,
And this one cried No No No No
All day long.

This one looked at the window
As though it were a wall,
This one saw things that were not there,
And this one cried No No No No
All day long.

This one thought himself a bird,
This one a dog,
And this one thought himself a man,
An ordinary man,
And cried and cried No No No No
All day long.

Donald Justice


Somehow, to my mind, all my poems today (and the video) link up with Bollinger’s post.

On this theme, of war and the mind, my next posting will feature two Very Special People, I’ve only featured one or two so far in previous blogs; I have been pondering on who to feature next, what a sad reflection on we humans that is; there seem to be so few that spring immediately to mind. Well known people that is. Send me your suggestions please!

On a lighter note.



An Irish rainbow





I meant to do my work today

I meant to do my work today
But a brown bird sang in the apple tree,
And a butterfly flitted across the field,
And all the leaves were calling me.
And the wind went sighing over the land,
Tossing the grasses to and fro,
And a rainbow held out its shining hand..
So what could I do but laugh and go?

Richard le Gallienne



A selection of birds on one of our feeders outside the kitchen window



My blueberries





Out There

Do they ever meet out there,
The dolphins I counted,
The otter I wait for?
I should have spent my life
Listening to the waves.

Michael Longley



Bye for now,
Go mbeannai Dia duit
Caitx



There is always hope

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Lovely poems and beautiful photos. I enjoyed Bollinger's post too, it was very thought-provoking.

CJ xx

Westerwitch/Headmistress said...

Thank you Cait for your thoughtful Blog. I have read BB's blog previously. I hope your headache improves tomorrow - horrible things migrainey headaches. Much appreciated that even though you weren't feeling well you still managed to find the time to share your thoughts.

CAMILLA said...

Such beautiful poems and photo's Cait.

A very thoughtful post Cait, have been over to see BB post, thank you.

Migraine's are soo horrid, hope that this will soon pass Cait, and you feel much better tomorrow.

xx

Fire Byrd said...

Cait, thank you for sending people to read the words I wrote. Anything that brings our attention to the potential situation facing the armed forces on their return has got to be good, however much the war is wrong.

Hope you feel beeter soon.
bbx

Kim said...

I love that Dickinson poem. I committed it to memory some time in high school.

Nice post, Cait. Hope you're feeling better.