Thursday, July 9, 2009

Poems for the Artistic and Romantic

Here is a poem by Alfred Noyes, that I think our art lovers will enjoy. The second is just a sweet romantic poem, by Stephen Foster, that reminds me of a lullaby. What do you think? TD

The Elfin Artist

In a glade of an elfin forest
When Sussex was Eden-new,
I came on an elvish painter
And watched as his picture grew,
A harebell nodded beside him.
He dipt his brush in the dew.

And it might be the wild thyme round him
That shone in the dark strange ring;
But his brushes were bees' antennae,
His knife was a wasp's blue sting;
And his gorgeous exquisite palette
Was a butterfly's fan-shaped wing.

And he mingled its powdery colours,
And painted the lights that pass,
On a delicate cobweb canvas
That gleamed like a magic glass,
And bloomed like a banner of elf-land,
Between two stalks of grass;

Till it shone like an angel's feather
With sky-born opal and rose,
And gold from the foot of the rainbow,
And colours that no man knows;
And I laughed in the sweet May weather,
Because of the themes he chose.

For he painted the things that matter,
The tints that we all pass by,
Like the little blue wreaths of incense
That the wild thyme breathes to the sky;
Or the first white bud of the hawthorn,
And the light in a blackbird's eye;

And the shadows on soft white cloud-peaks
That carolling skylarks throw,--
Dark dots on the slumbering splendours
That under the wild wings flow,
Wee shadows like violets trembling
On the unseen breasts of snow;

With petals too lovely for colour
That shake to the rapturous wings,
And grow as the bird draws near them,
And die as he mounts and sings,--
Ah, only those exquisite brushes
Could paint these marvellous things.

Alfred Noyes


Beautiful Dreamer

Beautiful dreamer, wake unto me,
Starlight and dewdrops are waiting for thee;
Sounds of the rude world heard in the day,
Lull'd by the moonlight have all pass'd a way!

Beautiful dreamer, queen of my song,
List while I woo thee with soft melody;
Gone are the cares of life's busy throng,
--Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me!

Beautiful dreamer, out on the sea
Mermaids are chaunting the wild lorelie;
Over the streamlet vapors are borne,
Waiting to fade at the bright coming morn.

Beautiful dreamer, beam on my heart,
E'en as the morn on the streamlet and sea;
Then will all clouds of sorrow depart,
--Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me!

- by Stephen Foster

13 comments:

  1. Wow those are very nice. I wish I was a good poet!!!


    Sir .A.A.

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  2. I love the first one so much!!!!!!!!!! Being a wannabe artist my self it has special meaning. I Really like the second too, if it had a tune I would love to sing it as a lullaby. H.R.H Anne

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  3. Yes, I wish I was a good poet too. The extent of my creativity is: Roses are Red, Violets are Blue, sugar is sweet, and so are you!

    Yeah... lame, I know.

    To H.R.H. Anne, I think that it might have a tune. I will look and see if maybe I can attach a link to it so that everyone can see/hear it.

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  4. The first one was so awesomely cool, and the second was so sweet. Thank you, Dewhurst.

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  5. Oh my gosh, I love the first one!!! That is so cool. So fantastical and imaginative. And of course, very artsy, and I love that. Awesome.
    The second one did sound like a lullaby. It was so lovely. I really like that one too.

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  6. Sorry, I really should have said, "goodness" instead of "gosh." Do excuse me.

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  7. I am sooooooo happy that you like them Lady A.

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  8. We all are a kick ! I love how we all said the same thing!

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  9. You and I. And HRH Anne if I am not mistaken.

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  10. You are one of them Tini... it looks like H.R.H. Anne and the Caesar are too.

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  11. I am excited to see what book Tini is going to post on...
    just a thought.

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