CULTURE 1: Poetic
Mar 10th, 2007 by admin
There is a poem which goes as follows:
Le tems a laissie son manteau
De vent, de froidure et de pluie
Et s’est vestu de broderye
De soleil riant, cler et beau
Il n’y a beste ne oiseau
Que en son jargon ne chante ou crye:
Le tems a laissie son manteau.
Riviere, fontaine et ruisseau/ Porte en livree jolye/ Gouttes d’argent d’orfaverie;/Chacun s’abille de nouveau:/Le tems a laissie son manteau.
It was written by Charles D’Orleans in about the 14th Century. For some reason we cannot impose single linespacing on the last verse. Our apologies for the forward slashes.
If you (yes, you!) have a favourite poem, please share it with us.
Our next cultural offering isa bloodcurdling but constructive assessment of a national cultural megalith – the BBC. For some reason it strayed into the General category. Maybe this was a message from cyberspace questioning the megalith’s cultural credentials. Please call up “General” and judge for yourself.
5 Responses to “CULTURE 1: Poetic”
Try this for size:
Come, my friends, ’tis not too late to seek a newer world,
Push off and hitting well in order smite the sounding furrows
For my purpose holds to sail beyond the sunset and the baths of all the Western Stars
Until I die.
It may be that the gulf will wash us down, it may be we shall reach the Happy Isles
and see the great Achilles that we knew.
Though much is taken, much abides
and though
We are not now that strength which in old days moved earth and heaven
That which we are we are –
One equal temper of heroic hearts
Made weak by time and Fate but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, but not to yield.
Good stuff. Tennyson, I think.
Apologies for any mistakes.
Excellent, and very different from “Come into the garden, Maud” and “Charge of the Light Brigade.”
Ulysses is the name of the poem.
The lines quoted above are just the last few verses. Very attractive, but not a patch on the whole poem. which is only a page and a half all told. It is the ultimate kick up the backside for the complacent, the idle and those with negative tendencies. I am all three, so I should know.
Andy Sarsen’s modesty is refreshing, his assessment of the poem spot on. I am beginning to re-think my attitude towards Tennyson.
If only more than 54 people could read this!