Emotive Poetry

Hola! Poetry has the amazing ability to lead you to feel deeply, and connect with something in our heart's and in our soul's.
Here are a selection of beautiful poems that connected with me in this way...



Water Psalm


Bless the water,
the flow, the ebb, the seep.
Bubble it, keep it clear.
Rinse your divine face in it, salty or fresh,
fast or pooled. Feel it in your hair
beneath the storm, hear it
outside your window, running in your dreams.
Let your ancestors' voices flow
from it to bring us together in psalm.
Keep the tide in place, keep the levees whole.
Let every molecule of water say it's name.
Bless the water in us, the tide in us,
the moon that pulls it through our veins.
Bless the water that will carry our ashes home.


By Carol Buchofner from her book Breakfast at the Brass Compass

Carol's website www.carolbachofner.com
Poetry Zone, Carol's poetry blog write365poems.blogspot.co.uk

Little Snowdrop


The world may never notice
If a Snowdrop doesn't bloom,
Or even pause to wonder
If the petals fall too soon.

But every life that ever forms,
Or ever comes to be,
Touches the world in some small way
For all eternity.

The little one we longed for
Was swiftly here and gone.
But the love that was then planted
Is a light that still shines on.

And though our arms are empty,
Our hearts know what to do.
For every beating of our hearts
Says that we love you.


Author unknown




Wild Geese


You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine. 
Meanwhile the world goes on. 
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain are moving across the landscapes, over the prairies and the deep trees, the mountains and the rivers. Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air, are heading home again. Whoever you are, no matter how lonely, the world offers itself to your imagination, calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting  over and over announcing your place in the family of things.


By Mary Oliver from Dream Work

© Mary Oliver




Love's Philosophy


The fountains mingle with the river
And the rivers with the Ocean,
The winds of Heaven mix for ever
With a sweet emotion;
Nothing in the world is single;  
All things by a law divine In one spirit meet and mingle.  
Why not I with thine? -

See the mountains kiss high Heaven  
And the waves clasp one another;
No sister-flower would be forgiven  
If it disdained it's brother;
And the sunlight clasps the earth  
And the moonbeams kiss the sea:
What is all this sweet work worth  
If thou kiss not me?


Percy Bysshe Shelley


'Snowdrops' image courtesy of Keattikorn at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Hallowe'en creativity

For the last 5 years I have written regular email updates for the UK young peoples charity AYME ( www.ayme.org.uk ).
The emails are a cheery and informative newsletter which goes out twice a month to about 200 young people across the UK, who, like me, suffer from a severe form of the illness M.E.
The latest update went out in time for Hallowe'en.
However, not being able to find a good hallowe'eny poem to include, my mum said to me about writing one myself... so I did! Along with some timely input from my mum and dad hehe!
The three of us put our heads together and had a fun time bouncing around ideas... and here's the result!
I thought I'd share it on my blog aswell so you could all see it, and to help get you in the hallowe'en mood! Enjoy!


HALLOWEEN NIGHT
 
As the moon shines bright
in the cloud speckled sky,
 
An eeriness fills the air
as the ghouls float by,
 
The witch on her broom
with familiar by her side
 
While crones stir their cauldrons
in a graveyard close by.
 
Down in the streets
children play trick or treat
 
Unaware of the mist
beginning to swirl around their feet
 
And from the houses pumpkins shine,
devilish faces alight
 
Should we be scared?  Should we scream?
Things aren’t all they seem,
 
Beware on this Halloween Night!!
 
©Natalie Saxton 2010



And if you needed anything more to get you in the hallowe'en spirit, check-out this seasonal video of the beautiful song (and a favourite song of mine) Samhain night by Loreena Mckennitt! Happy Hallowe'en!!

Byron's poetry -a convert!

Up until a few years ago I had never read any of Lord Byrons poems. I'd heard of him, of course, and as I delved deeper into Georgian and Regency history, I learned much about Byron, and his life and times.
Eventually, I sought out some of Byrons poems, and I'm so glad I did!

The first one I read was 'She walks in beauty', and its since become one of my all time poetry favourites! I love the Romantic poets and their writings, and 'She walks in beauty' is a great example -beautiful, passionate and imaginative.



She walks in beauty


She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellowed to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impaired the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o'er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling place.

And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!