Saturday, February 2, 2008

To Nature




It may indeed be phantasy, when I
Essay to draw from all created things
Deep, heartfelt, inward joy that closely clings ;
And trace in leaves and flowers that round me lie
Lessons of love and earnest piety.
So let it be ; and if the wide world rings
In mock of this belief, it brings
Nor fear, nor grief, nor vain perplexity.
So will I build my altar in the fields,
And the blue sky my fretted dome shall be,
And the sweet fragrance that the wild flower yields
Shall be the incense I will yield to Thee,
Thee only God ! and thou shalt not despise
Even me, the priest of this poor sacrifice.

--Samuel Taylor Coleridge

22 comments:

Washington Cube said...

I left a poem for you, Reya. I'm glad you bring the blogging community together with a joined project.

Washington Cube said...

Silentium

Speak not, lie hidden, and conceal
the way you dream, the things you feel.
Deep in your spirit let them rise
akin to stars in crystal skies
that set before the night is blurred:
delight in them and speak no word.
How can a heart expression find?
How should another know your mind?
Will he discern what quickens you?
A thought once uttered is untrue.
Dimmed is the fountainhead when stirred:
drink at the source and speak no word.
Live in your inner self alone
within your soul a world has grown,
the magic of veiled thoughts that might
be blinded by the outer light,
drowned in the noise of day, unheard...
take in their song and speak no word


~~ Fyodor Ivanovich Tyutchev

Steve Reed said...

Fabulous, Reya. Makes me want to go luxuriate in the grass in Central Park. :)

Bob Dylan said...

Ah... Coleridge. Wonderful choice!

Barbara said...

Every poem I have read so far represents so well the person who offered it. It's as if STC climbed inside your mind just as you climbed inside his!

mouse (aka kimy) said...

beautiful offering. thank you!

(a picture especially picked for you on the mouse today illustrating one of the poems - I couldn't decide between two! so I put up both!) thank you for organizing this blogging poetry fete!

Unknown said...

Killer poem! Fine, witty photo!

sunt_lacrimae_rerum said...

Thank you so much for the STC poem. I am always excited to find people who still read the romantic poets.

I'm glad that you are readign the romantics in general. SO much of modern poetry depends on them and they created so much that is beautiful. I think that the great odes of John Keats are amongst the most stunning literary achievements of all time.

Anonymous said...

I've been reading about Coleridge recently so it was love to find this here, thank you.

Hammer said...

Some Delmore Schwartz with a dash of Lou Reed over at my place. Too long to cut & paste here. Have a great weekend, Ms. Appleseed!

P.S. - Hey, can somebody tell the bartender to send a drink over to the babe in the red dress?

Reya Mellicker said...

You mean another drink? Because I think everyone here wants to buy her a drink.

Engranon said...

Lovely. Thank you for bringing us together each year to add a little beauty to the blogosphere

teabird said...

I loved reading this today!
Thank you for visiting Tea Leaves.

Lizl Bennefeld said...

Thanks much for this poem. Had not come across it until now.

Liz

Gary said...

My dear Reya,
You have inspired me to post my favorite poem by my favorite poet on my blog. I haven't done it yet but shall get to it as soon as I comment here.

BTW, I love the arrows on your picture.

Hammer said...

Good point. Although she handles it impeccably, the babe in the red dress is actually plastered. Tell the bartender to call her a cab.

(Thanks for the Coleridge, btw. Sweet mercy - where are my manners?)

Washington Cube said...

I can hold my booze, thankyouverymuch, S'uh. I've left some Delmore poems over on YOUR blog, Hammer, in between wearing red, being drunk and writing porn for my manicurist's boyfriend.

Reya Mellicker said...

See why everyone wants to buy her a drink?

IntangibleArts said...

Good golly, I finally made it to the slam, a mere 50 minutes to midnight.

Posted a bit of verbal dada written in 2001, under the influence of a rather intense winter flu and whatever over-the-counter medication that must've been available at the time. But it's the thought that counts.

Viva Brigid!

wordwitch said...

Me too! I posted a poem too!

Blessed be, Brigid!!!!

deborahoak said...

oh, reya! Thank you! For the poem, for the whole idea of poetry infusing the blogosphere, and for all the wonderful years of being close friends. Thank you.

lettuce said...

thankyou reya, i love this and needed to read it again.

no mockery from this direction

and your photo is brilliant, the arrows are perfect.