Jun. 27, 2006 Summer Memorization Challenge
Some of us from the Latin-centered forum are memorizing poetry this summer. I will be attempting the poem from my previous post, "I Am Content", as well as, "Sonnet 116" by William Shakespeare, and the poem that follows here.
Waiting By the Gate
by William Cullen Bryant
Beside a massive gateway built up in years gone by,
Upon whose top the clouds in eternal shadow lie,
While streams the evening sunshine on quiet wood and lea,
I stand and calmly wait till the hinges turn for me.
The tree-tops faintly rustle beneath the breeze's flight,
A soft and soothing sound, yet it whispers of the night;
I hear the wood-thrush piping one mellow descant more,
And scent the flowers that blow when the heat of day is o'er.
Behold, the portals open, and o'er the threshold, now,
There steps a weary one with a pale and furrowed brow;
His count of years is full, his allotted task is wrought;
He passes to his rest from a place that needs him not.
In sadness then I ponder how quickly fleets the hour
Of human strength amd action, man's courage and his power.
I muse while still the wood-thrush sings down the golden day
And as I look and listen the sadness wears away.
Again the hinges turn, and a youth, departing, throws
A look of longing backward, and sorrowfully goes;
A blooming maid, unbinding the roses from her hair,
Moves mournfully away from amid the young and fair.
O glory of our race that so suddenly decays!
O crimson flush of morning that darkens as we gaze!
O breath of summer blossoms that on the restless air
Scatters a moment's sweetness, and flies we know not where!
I grieve for life's bright promise, just shown and then withdrawn;
But still the sun shines round me: the evening bird sings on.
And I again am soothed, and, beside the ancient gate,
In this soft evening sunlight, I calmly stand and wait.
Once more the gates are opened; an infant group go out,
The sweet smile quenched forever, and stilled the sprightly shout,
O frail, frail tree of Life, that upon the greensward strows
Its fair yound buds unopened, with every wind that blows!
So, come from every region, so enter, side by side,
The strong and faint of spirit, the meek and men of pride.
Steps of earth's great and mighty, between them pillars gray,
And prints of little feet, mark the dust along the way.
And some approach the threshold, whose looks are blank with fear,
And some whose temples brighted with joy in drawing near,
As if they saw dear faces, and caught the gracious eye
Of Him, the Sinless Teacher, who came for us to die.
I mark the joy, the terror; yet these, within my heart,
Can neither wake the dread nor the longing to depart;
And in the sunshine streaming on quiet wood and lea,
I stand and calmly wait till the hinges turn for me.
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Mar. 15, 2006 Anniversary of the Battle of Pelennor Fields
Song of the Mounds of Mundburg We heard of the horns in the hills ringing,
The swords shining in the South-kingdom.
Steeds went striding to the Stoningland
As wind in the morning. War was kindled.
There Thιoden fell, Thengling mighty,
To his golden halls and green pastures
In the Northern fields never returning,
High lord of the host. Harding and Guthlαf,
Dϊnhere and Dιorwine, doughty Grimbold,
Herefara and Herubrand, Horn and Fastred,
Fought and fell there in a far country:
In the Mounds of Mundburg under mould they lie
With their league-fellows, lords of Gondor.
Neither Hirluin the Fair to the hills by the sea,
Nor Forlong the old to the flowering vales
Ever, to Arnach, to his own country
Returned in triumph; nor the tall bowmen,
Derufin and Duilin, to their dark waters,
Meres of Morthond under mountain-shadows.
Death in the morning and at day's ending
Lords took and lowly. Long now they sleep
Under grass in Gondor by the Great River.
Grey now as tears, gleaming silver,
Red then it rolled, roaring water:
Foam dyed with blood flamed at sunset;
As beacons mountains burned at evening;
Red fell the dew in Rammas Echor.
Lament for Theoden
From dark Dunharrow in the dim morning
With thane and captain rode Thengel's son:
To Edoras he came, the ancient halls
Of the Mark-wardens mist-enshrouded;
Golden timbers were in gloom mantled.
Farewell he bade to his free people,
Hearth and high-seat, and the hallowed places,
Where long he had feasted ere the light faded.
Forth rode the king, fear behind him,
Fate before him. Fealty kept he;
Oaths he had taken, all fulfilled them.
Forth rode Thιoden. five nights and days
East and onward rode the Eorlingas
Through Folde and Fenmarch and the Firienwood,
Six thousand spears to Sunlending,
Mundburg the mighty under Mindolluin,
Sea-kings; city in the South-kingdom
Foe-beleaguered, fire-encircled.
Doom drove them on. Darkness took them,
Horse and horseman; hoofbeats afar
Sank into silence; so the songs tell us.
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Nov. 18, 2005 Parrish and Poetry
I just purchased a wonderful book called "Parrish and Poetry: A Gift of Words and Art". Here is a sample:
Remember
Christina Rossetti (1830-1894)
Remember me when I am gone away,
Gone far away into the silent land;
When you can no more hold me by the hand,
Nor I half turn to go yet turning to stay.
Remember me when no more day by day
You tell me of our future that you planned:
Only remember me; you understand
It will be late to counsel then or pray.
Yet if you should forget me for a while
And afterwards remember, do not grieve:
For if the darkness and corruption leave
A vestige of the thoughts that once I had,
Better by far you should forget and smile
Than that you should remember and be sad.
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My co-op class is using Literary Lessons from The Lord of the Rings
and we are having a great time. I had my students compose laments after
reading Book II, chapter 7 of The Fellowship of the Ring. They did such
a great job and I want to share a few.
Navaer Imladris
Silence reigns among forgotten walls
Formerly joyous these now empty halls.
They reveal no trace of love once great
And echo naught but woe of late.
Not long ago, the halls had rung
With lovely song and well versed tongue
From those whose search for knowledge burned
And love for life was early learned.
The Elves of Elegion sought a home.
A land they found where pools did foam,
With waterfall and rustling tree,
A home they built far from the sea.
Why stand these halls so dark at day
And so cold beneath the star's soft ray?
This dwelling made by immortal kind
Has stood surpassing thought and mind.
The silence beckons to the skies
"Return O ye with star-lit eyes.
Restore the glee and life so fair,
Return O ye with long, dark hair!"
White shores beckoned, their longing rose,
The call was sounded; to leave they chose.
By vessels ornate they sailed away,
Rivendell was left that forlorn day.
The land will mourn, the elves are lost,
To fair Valinor, the sea they crossed.
The halls are quiet, their life is gone;
A myth they're called, by everyone.
Silence reigns among forgotten walls
Formerly joyous these now empty halls.
Those days are gone and on the morrow,
An abiding loneliness and sorrow.
Olorin
I remember when you would arrive
at Hobbiton from afar
erasing all my fears
that comforting memory, you are.
O, Olorin, how great your works
since you came from the west.
Now I hang my head in grief
as you lay to rest.
Gandalf, hero, saviour, friend
you have been our guide
Leading when fear held us back
you never left our sides.
Dear Mithrandir, ever near
you have gone away.
It is said a wizard is never early
so to thank you I am much too late.
I Amar Prestar Aen
Iluvatar created elves first,
The wise with ever growing thirst
Of knowledge and the craft of things fair,
House and scrolls and jewels to wear.
Though the light of the Trees has passed,
They lingered there still, until at last,
The Sea and ever fair Valinor,
Is all that they could but hunger for.
Endor, home of old, in which they sprung:
Beneath the silver stars they had sung.
They have seen all of the Beginning,
Now before them the End is spinning.
They traveled swiftly, in silent flight
To the West away from Man's dire plight
Leaving their land in unmeasured sorrow,
Sadness still is with each new morrow,
The mountains weep and the grasses bend,
For the loss of their fair Elven friends.
Man will soon forget them, the Firstborn,
The name of Elves to be forever shorn,
In sorrow they've left their past behind,
To join on thither shore their dwindling kind.
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Oct. 4, 2005 Song of The Fall of Gil-galad
Gil-galad was an Elven-king.
Of him the harpers sadly sing:
the last whose realm was fair and free
between the Mountains and the Sea.
His sword was long, his lance was keen,
his shining helm afar was seen;
the countless stars of heaven's field
were mirrored in his silver shield.
But long ago he rode away,
and where he dwelleth none can say;
for into darkness fell his star
in Mordor where the shadows are.
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Jun. 15, 2005 How Deep the Father's Love for Us by Stuart Townend
My husband is the music director and worship leader for one of the services at our church: Covenant Presbyterian in Cherry Hill, NJ. He picked this song for Sunday, and I was so moved by the message in this hymn that I wanted to share it with whomever stops by.
How deep the Father's love for us, how vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son to make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss, the Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the Chosen One bring many sons to glory
Behold the man upon a cross, my sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that held Him there until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life - I know that it is finished
I will not boast in anything, no gifts no power no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection
Why should I gain from His reward; I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart; His wounds have paid my ransom
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