Sometimes words delight in eluding me.
Right now my brain is so full of choreography that I fear it will EXPLODE. Our recital is coming up soon--too soon!--and I have . . . nine pieces. I think that's more than I've ever had before. School is also wrapping up. In other words, I'm quite busy. And the sad truth is, I've done very little writing recently. I feel low on writerly inspiration, blog-related and otherwise. *glares at Daunting Proportions* But I have been reading, in those spare snatches of time. (And in snatches of time I don't have to spare. Heh.) So I thought I'd share some things I've been reading--poems, to be specific. While I can't write poetry to save my life, I do love a good poem. "Batter My Heart" by John Donne My very dear friend shared this one with me a few months ago, and I keep coming back to read it. It reminds me of Romans 7--that constant battle of the Spirit and the flesh--and it hits hard. The closing lines are just breathtaking (and ridiculously satisfying, because I have a Thing for paradoxes). "Crossing the Bar" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson This one is so utterly tranquil--it's almost soothing. It is tinged with melancholy, but the poet is ultimately at peace with life, with death, with his Creator. It's such a beautiful reminder that death has lost its sting through Christ's victory. "If--" by Rudyard Kipling I highly recommend you go listen to Verses in Vox's rendition. "The Destruction of Sennacherib" by Lord Byron I love the imagery here. It gives me chills. Similes and such are hard to pull off (at least for me), but Byron does it so skillfully. "The Hound of Heaven" by Francis Thompson I saved the best for last! This one just crept into my heart and grabbed me. I memorized almost half of it just by reading it over and over. I'm not even exactly sure why it moves me so. But . . . it's so vivid . . . and . . . it's possibly one of my most favorite poems of all time. And I couldn't even tell you why. Help. How are words treating you these days? Have you read any of these poems? Do you have a favorite poet?
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Along the Brandywine is hosting an Inklings link-up this month! The prompt being a scene with a cake in book or film, I decided to share part of a story from one of my childhood favorites, In Grandma's Attic by Arleta Richardson. In it, Mabel bakes a cake for her Ma's surprise birthday party.
If Ma suspected anything, she didn't let on. She returned to her sewing, and I spent the afternoon hanging on the front gate, waiting for the first arrivals to the party. They were to come at suppertime, and the ladies would all bring something good to eat. I was sure that no one would come with as beautiful a cake as mine, though. And I was right. Ma was surprised and pleased. "You made this all by yourself, Mabel?" she asked. "Why, it is just lovely. I had no idea you could do that alone!" Proudly I handed Ma the knife. "You must have the first piece, because it's your birthday," I said. Ma cut the cake, and took a large slice on her plate. She took a bite, and an odd look came over her face. Something is wrong, I thought. But what could it be? I watched anxiously, but Ma kept on eating. Satisfied with my success, I ran to play with the other children. That evening, . . . Ma said, "It was the most unusual cake I've ever eaten. What did you use to flavor it, Mabel?" she asked. "Why, the vanilla, Ma," I said. "Just like you always use." "Show me where you got it," said Ma. "Where did you find the vanilla?" Ma followed me to the pantry, and I pointed to the big bottle on the shelf. Ma took it down and looked at it; then she began to laugh. On the front of the bottle the label read, WATKIN'S LINIMENT. Ma wiped her eyes and hugged me close. "That's all right, Mabel," she said. "It was a lovely cake. A little liniment never hurt anyone. I couldn't have asked for a better birthday present." It seems this is a popular mistake ;) Have you read the Grandma's Attic series? Did you ever put liniment in a cake? |
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