The Crystal Ball
John William Waterhouse
I woke in bits, like all children, piecemeal over the years. I discovered myself and the world, and forgot them, and discovered them again.
Anne Dillard
Dear Diary,
Being at home off sick now I have taken to searching my own bookshelves for reading matter and I found Anne Dillard's Pilgrim at Tinker Creek to read again and am also re-reading all my John O'Donohue books, both newly discovered finds which are such a joy to read. What would you seek out from your own bookshelves?
I am listening to a lot of Radio 4 and this morning I enjoyed the first part of Jeanette Winterson's memoir Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal as it is the Book of the Week. The adoption aspect is close to my heart so perhaps I get even more from it but she is such a great writer (and poet).
On Sunday morning I heard Will Self's A Point of View about the arms trade (and more); what a fine piece that was. Details are below if you would like to hear it.
On Sunday morning I heard Will Self's A Point of View about the arms trade (and more); what a fine piece that was. Details are below if you would like to hear it.
Will Self A Point of View Arms Trade
Duration: 11 minutes
Will Self deplores the arms trade and Britain's role in it, including the sale of weapons to authoritarian regimes which abuse human rights
Listen Again or on Podcast
Anyway enough of the present for you surely know that it is Samhain/ Halloween and the veil between this world and the next is at its thinnest so all our ancestors will be at their closest.
I for one will be out tonight and hopefully there will be sweet moonlight to ride by..........................................
Here is a poem that fits the occasion.
Sweet dreams.......
Echo
Come to me in the silence of the night;
Come in the speaking silence of a dream;
Come with soft rounded cheeks and eyes as bright
As sunlight on a stream;
Come back in tears,
O memory, hope, love of finished years.
Oh dream how sweet, too sweet, too bitter-sweet,
Whose wakening should have been in Paradise,
Where souls brim-full of love abide and meet;
Where thirsting longing eyes
Watch the slow door
That opening, letting in, lets out no more.
Yet come to me in dreams, that I may live
My very life again though cold in death:
Come back to me in dreams, that I may give
Pulse for pulse, breath for breath:
Speak low, lean low,
As long ago, my love, how long ago.
Christina Rossetti
Wonderful post and poem, Cait. I love Christina Rossetti.
ReplyDeleteFeel better!!
I'm in love with your Blog Header, The Magic Circle. I always like Waterhouse's paintings, but this one is a real stunner.
ReplyDeleteAlso enjoyed the poem .
Dear Cait,
ReplyDeleteDo hope you are now feeling much better from your sickness. Apologies for stopping by late Cait and I so love reading your posts.
I only recently read the review of the book by Jean Winterson and have added it to my book list. I believe this book is going to be adapted for a film. This author who wrote a previous book of Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit.
Such a beautiful poem by Rossetti, she is one of my favourite poets
xx