A Harvest of Thorns or Flowers...
Frederick Lord LeightonWhen I was in my teens
I began a collection of poetry
quotes
proverbs
and words -
the beginnings
of a life long fascination with
and enjoyment of
words and imagery
BreugelThis poem
by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
was one of the first
I copied into my journal
BreugelWe must not hope to be mowers
Monetand gather the ripe gold ears
Demeter Goddess of GrainsUnless we first have been sowers
and watered the furrows with tears
Edward John Poynter - Horae SerenaeIt is not just as we take it
This mystical world of ours
Monet's GardenLife's field will yield as we make it
A harvest of thorns or flowers
Frederick Lord Leighton*
What a beautiful poem, Delwyn and oh so true!
ReplyDeleteHello Elcmae
ReplyDeleteIt is a truth isn't it,Elcmae...
Happy days
Hello Delwyn.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely and enjoyable post! I love it! The painting of Monet's Giverny is so beautiful! I like Breugel too. Yes. what the poem says is a truth!!!
And I've read your previous posts. The peach melba looks so yyyyyummy!! I haven't eaten it before. I wish I could have a bite!! And I like the third painting in particular in your "Into the Fire" post. Who is the artist? Chinese artist? It is so nice with beautiful birds!!
Hi Delwyn:
ReplyDeleteIsn't it touching to go back and see things you collected when young? To see the values forming even then? I love the joy and connection in the Poynter painting, as well as its sheer beauty. And Goethe . . . perfection in a poem.
Goethe's words are the poetic expression of what I have addressed from the clinical or scientific point of view in my post today.
Your weekend is on the wane about now - our Sunday is about to begin. After several golden days we have cloud cover today. Are you beginning to experience warmer weather? (Not that it isn't warm already!!)
Hello Sapphire
ReplyDeleteThe Chinese artist of all prints except the peony is a contemporary artist by the name of Chen Jun;
the peony is painted by another contemporary artist Deng Kecheng.
I recently saw a gardening around the world series on TV that went to Monet's Garden...but it was winter!
That Hope print with the birds was my favourite too.
Lovely to have you here Sapphire...
Happy days
Hello Bonnie
ReplyDeletethat thought crossed my mind too when I saw your post.
I like to look back too and wonder what ideas and ideals were fomenting at that time, what seeds were being sown...
Yes, it is Sunday at 9.30pm and I am a little weary after a very early start for the Farmers' markets and a lovely long paddle today too...It was a strong head wind we set off into but a ripper of tail wind on the homeward stretch...and yes warm, about 25*...but a bit chilly right now...I have been huddled under a quilt watching Midsomer Murders until I began to doze off...after my dinner of fresh salmon and asparagus with mashed sweet potato, followed by another serve of yes...Peach Melba!...What a day...
Happy days
Delwyn:
ReplyDeleteSounds like a lovely day - and a delicious meal to cap it off.
I hope one day you will post about paddling. I think I saw one photo of your DB standing paddling and it looks quite precarious to me.
They say balancing like you must have to in the sport - works out all kinds of little support muscles that rarely get used otherwise . . .
Anyway - I have never seen it in Canada and would love to know more about what is like for the paddler and why you would choose it over a canoe or kayak.
Have a good sleep.
Beautiful Delwyn, both the pictures and the words.
ReplyDeleteLove Renee xoo
hello delwyn, this is a lovely insight into one feature of your childhood!! (still do - just like you!!) i too loved to read poetry and look at artwork. i never wrote them down - i wrote my own!! it would be interesting to learn how many of our lovely bloggy chums spent time inside poems, paintings, and music as children. i love the first leighton image. it reminds me of someone (minus the basket) but i can't put my mind on whom. i expect you've gone off to sleep now. happy dreams by the river. steven
ReplyDeleteDelwyn,
ReplyDelete"Life's field will yield as we make it
A harvest of thorns or flowers"
How true. A good thing for all of us to remember. I love your poem.
Beautiful post Delwyn for my Sunday morning...Monet is my most favorite artist. The paintings and poem harmonized so well!
ReplyDeleteLife is what we make of it, by careful choosing and diligent work...being a giver and not a taker...but willing to receive gratefully.
Poetry has always been an enjoyment for me...G/daughter Amanda(20) shares that with me too...often we wrote poems back and forth..."communicating love"
Smiles always,
Wanda
What a beautiful post, Delwyn. The Monet painting is new to me. If you ever get a chance, check out "The Impressionists" - a two disc DVD that chronicles Monet's life and his friendships with the other Impressionists.
ReplyDeleteAnother wondrous poem paired with art to deepen the meaning! You have the gift, Delwyn. I'm going to copy this poem into my journal. Amazing. Your journal entry cross-pollinating across the wide Pacific and over four decades into mine. Wow.
ReplyDeleteGoethe's poem is an eloquent expression of the idea of karma. I love the line, "Unless we first have been sowers and watered the furrows with tears." It gets at the idea in my post of lotus blossoms emerging from pond-bottom mud.
I wonder, with Steven, how many of us had our imaginations and sensibilities ignited by poetry when we were youths. Poetry certainly altered my course in life.
This is a lovely post. The images complement the text so beautifully.
ReplyDeleteI love the synergy that exists between bloggers often times and this is perfectly reflective of Bonnie's post from yesterday! And yet it is entirely reflective of you and how you interpret those same heady questions :) Its wonderful seeing the seeds that eventually grew and blossomed into the lovely Delwyn!
ReplyDeleteSuch a lovely poem, Delwyn, and the pictures to compliment it,, so beautiful.
ReplyDeletePriceless. And so true.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, thank you Delwyn.
Hugs
Lola xx
That is a beautiful poem! I have only recently started a book to record my favorite quotes; I think it will start to fill up fast.
ReplyDeleteHi Bonnie here I am back again - a new day- in the morning....
ReplyDeleteWhen I began blogging I posted along paddle - if you want to see have a look here:
http://ahazymoon.blogspot.com/2009/02/paddling-at-sunset.html
It is very good for the core muscles, because you are stationary you pull in all the muscles through your centre with each stroke...The legs feel a little wobbly after an hour but not sore, and the shoulders get a work out too.
But it is such a pleasant way to exercise - no stress, you set your own pace, and such beauty to see on the way...a kayak is hard on the back...stand up paddling doesn't apply any pressure or stress to the body...and in this climate is a perfect exercise...
Happy days
Hello dear Renee
ReplyDeletehow lovely to see your smiley face...
Happy days
Hi Steven
ReplyDeleteit is interesting to speculate on how those influences lasted in our lives...My home had very few books other than those I would win at the church Sunday School scripture competitions and then they were all touched with a certain perspective!
It wasn't until I joined the library of my own volition that I found a mine of treasure...and also the influence of high school friends who loved reading set me off on a path dotted with Leon Uris, and who wrote The Third Eye? I remember reading that at 13 years and trying to make sense of it...
Lovely to have your company this early sunny Monday morning...a day for pump class and this afternoon another wallum walk...amongst many other activities...
Happy days
Hi KB
ReplyDeleteI am sure that Goethe resonates with you...with its nature allegory...
Happy days
Hello Wanda from a glorious Monday at 7.45am..
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you enjoyed my pairing of Monet and Goethe...they seemed a pigeon pair when I was deliberating over illustrations...I heard Monet Monet calling out...
You have a lovely powerful yet gentle influence over your grandchildren Wanda...
Happy days
Good morning GW
ReplyDeleteThank you for that link. I will pursue it...
Lovely to have you call by today..
Happy days
Hi Dan
ReplyDeletethat is a nice thought Dan ...I have your meditations in my journal, and you have some of mine, we are proof of the cross pollination theory in action...
I don't know where my love of poetry came from, there was certainly none in my home but by the time I was 15 and studying Andrew Marvel - To His Coy Mistress, and John Donne, and Robert Herrick - Gather Ye Rosebuds, in English literature I knew I was hooked...
thanks for being here today
Happy days
Hi Joanna
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting today- I'm glad you enjoyed my arrangement...I loved to set it up...
Happy days
Hi Vicky
ReplyDeleteand I wasn't aware of Bonnie's post til late today..so that is really some synergy at work...
Thanks for your thoughtful and sincere words Vicky. I can tell that you are a genuine, friendly warm woman...and I appreciate your company.
Happy days
Hello Ann
ReplyDeleteanother vote of approval - ah that is good to know that we are all on a similar wave length...all appreciating similar words and imagery...
Happy days
Hi there Lola
ReplyDeletetrue
priceless
words of great merit
and import
if we heed them...
Happy days
Hello AmyR my little friend...
ReplyDeletewell here you have one of your first pieced to enter.
You will find that when you are old and grey like me that these journals are treasures because of their contents and also for their memories and the associations they conjure up...
Happy days
Hi Delwyn~ I have to say I love those Victorian artists! So dramatic. and then to have Monet's garden express a harvest of flowers as he "chose to make it" is just beautiful! I love how you've woven this post, Delwyn.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking you could use your journal's word entries for the free verse we had talked about. xx
Hello Margaret
ReplyDeletethe old paintings seem to make good illustrations - maybe they are mellow with their golden colours and they allow the words their space as well without overpowering them...
that's a good idea for the 'words' - I'll put it on the to do list...
I'm happy to see you today Margaret. Oh, tell B that J is hunting out some photos and then will reply...
Happy days
Beautiful poem...We reap what we sow..tears and all. The imagery is so beautiful for the harvest we're about to experience here in the Dakotas. I love the colors of the grain...Hope your Monday is fabulous!
ReplyDeleteHello Alicia
ReplyDeletehow nice to see you today...
Perhaps the tears and the toil improve the harvest...
Will you have harvest celebrations as in old days...
Happy days
a wonderful poem & inded very true. how lovely that you have collected poems etc over the years. *ruthie*
ReplyDeleteHello there Ruthie
ReplyDeletehow nice to see you. I am happy you liked the old poem...yes my collections are lovely to look back on...
Happy days
We do celebrate the harvest here. Funny tho...they call it Apple Fest and apples are not what is harvested! Wheat, soy beans and corn and always a celebration when all is said and done. Lots of long days and work...very satisfying ;)
ReplyDelete