h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Talking of words, the word is "love" right?
So this is about my favourite poem on the subject of true love.
A very well known verse:


"Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:4"

In the bleak midwinter
Frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron,
Water like a stone:
Snow had fallen, snow on snow
Snow on snow,
In the bleak mid-winter,
Long ago.

Our God, heaven cannot hold him
Nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away
When he comes to reign:
In the bleak mid-winter
A stable-place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty
Jesus Christ.

Enough for him, whom cherubim
Worship night and day,
A breastful of milk,
And a mangerful of hay:
Enough for him, whom angels
Fall down before,
The ox and ass and camel
Which adore.

Angels and archangels
May have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim
Thronged the air -
But only his mother
In her maiden bliss
Worshipped the beloved
With a kiss.

What can I give him,
Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd
I would bring a lamb;
If I were a wise man
I would do my part;
Yet what I can, I give him -
Give my heart.



Christina Rossetti

I was in a lovely old bookshop today; which brings to mind this from one, from one of my books.


Bookworm
-------------------
Anonymous (Old English)
----------------------------------------
A worm ate words.
I thought that wonderfully strange-
a miracle-
when they told me a
crawling
insect had swallowed noble songs,
a night-time thief had stolen writing
so famous, so weighty.
But the bug was foolish
still, though it's belly was full of thought.


translated by Michael Alexander

Sorry to hog things, but I have to recommend this - Sea-Slumber Song, by no less a name than Roden Berkeley Wtothensley Noel (1834-1894)

It's also the first of Elgar's 'SeaPictures'.



Sea-birds are asleep,
The world forgets to weep,
Sea murmurs her soft slumber-song
On the shadowy sand
Of this elfin land;

"I, the Mother mild,
Hush thee, O my child,
Forget the voices wild!
Hush thee, O my child,
Hush thee

Isles in elfin light
Dream, the rocks and caves,
Lull’d by whispering waves,
Veil their marbles
Veil their marbles bright,
Foam glimmers faintly white
Upon the shelly sand
Of this elfin land;

Sea-sound, like violins,
To slumber woos and wins,
I murmur my soft slumber-song,
My slumber-song,
Leave woes, and wails, and sins,

Ocean’s shadowy might
Breathes good-night,
Good-night…
Leave woes, and wails, and sins,
Good-night… Good-night…
Good-night…
Good-night…
Good-night… Good-night…"



A powerful, irregular Victorian poem, with wonderful sea-imagery.

Sea Pictures:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOX5geS_kmk&feature=watch_response