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Posted on 12/23/2017 10:02:13 AM PST by mairdie
14 Poems of Henry Livingston, the author of Night Before Christmas, illustrated with 174 vintage postcards in a comic book-like format. I'm making it free for the full 5 days they let me. Reviews would be GREATLY appreciated.
From Easy Street's 5 star review: Nice collection of greeting cards and poetry from an elegant age gone by. Very nice to see all of these in an e-book.
From Julie Pearson's 5 star review: A classic, and very classy. Worth reading to our kids and grandkids to broaden their horizons - there is life beyond TV!
From Customer's 5 star review: I really love the illustrations in Thrice Happy Poetry. they are lovely and Henry's poetry is enchanting. He clearly was a happily married man.
The Acknowledgment
With the ladies' permission, most humbly I'd mention
How much we're oblidged by all their attention;
We sink with the weight of the huge obligation
Too long & too broad to admit compensation.
For us (and I blush while I speak I declare)
The charming Enchanters be-torture their hair,
Till gently it rises and swells like a knoll
Thirty inches at least from the dear little poll;
From the tip-top of which all peer out together
The ribband, the gause, & the ostrich's feather;
Composing a sight for an Arab to swear at
Or huge Patagonian a fortnight to stare at.
Then hoops at right angles that hang from ye knees
And hoops at the hips in connection with these
Set the Fellows presumptuous who court an alliance
And ev'ry pretender, at awful defiance.
And I have been told (though I must disbelieve
For the tidings as fact, I would never receive)
That billets of cork have supplied the place
Of something the Fair-ones imagine a grace;
But whether 'tis placed behind or before;
The shoulders to swell, or the bosom to shoar
To raise a false wen or expand a false bump
Project a false hip or protrude a false rump,
Was never ascertain'd; and fegs I declare
To make more enquiry I never will dare.
*****
To my little niece ANNE DUYCKINCK, aged 9 years.
To his charming black-ey'd niece
Uncle Harry wishest peace!
Wishes roses ever strow'd
O'er her sublunary road!
No rude winds around her howl
O'er her head no tempests scowl;
No red lightnings flash around
No loud thunders rock the ground!
Bright has been her morning sun
Brighter still be that to come!
All a blue serene above,
Within, all innocence & love.
*****
To Miss
SWEET as op'ning roses are
As 'th expanded lilly fair
Blithsome as the breathing day
Smiling as the smiling May
Heav'n itself her feeling mind
Loveliest of the lovely kind
Is my Daphne - sweetest maid
That e'er sported in the glade
When beneath the nodding grove
She inclines to muse or rove
Airs of Eden float around
Flow'rs spontaneous deck the ground
Cupids clap their wings about her
Life itself's not life without her.
*****
To Miss -- on the commencement of 1789
Hail! pride of each lass & the wish of each swain
The sweetest & loveliest girl on the plain!
The graces & Muses your footsteps attend--
Each shepherd a lover, each maiden a friend.
Continue dear nymph, as ever you've been
Of beauty and merit's fair empire, the Queen;
Of pain or misfortune the names only know,
And the rose of content in your path ever grow.
Bright rise the young year newly born eighty-nine
On the girl I would give all the globe to call mine:
The bounties of fortune around her be strow'n
For goodness and beauty sweet girl are thy own.
*****
SONG. - Tune, German Spa
Shrew'd remarkers often say
Men were formed to betray;
Form'd to fascinate the fair,
Then to plunge them in despair:
Tyrants of creation made,
Prone like tyrants to invade!
Wanting what they can't enjoy,
And to love unknowing.
Feigning rapture when we're by,
Willing at our feet to die:
Vow, the smiles or frowns of fate
On important females wait.
If, unversed in their arts,
We surrender up our hearts;
Cool, they view the sacrifice,
And the maid expiring.
While my heart is yet my own,
Nor my soft affections flown;
Ev'ry passion at command --
Free my heart as free my hand;
Cool, I'll hear the tale of love,
'Till convinc'd, I may approve:
Then I'll fly to meet my swain,
Nor disguise my rapture.
*****
On my sister Joanna's entrance into her 33d year [16 May 1787]
On this thy natal day permit a friend -
A brother - with thy joys his own to blend:
In all thy gladness he would wish to share
As willing in thy griefs a part to bear.
Meekly attend the ways of higher heav'n!
Is much deny'd? Yet much my dear is giv'n.
Thy health, thy reason unimpaired remain
And while as new fal'n snows thy spotless fame.
The partner of thy life, attentive - kind -
And blending e'en the interests of the mind.
What bliss is thine when fore thy glistn'ing eye
Thy lovely infant train pass jocund by!
The ruddy cheek, the smiling morning face
Denote a healthy undegenerate race:
In them renew'd, you'll live & live again,
And children's children's children lisp thy name.
Bright be the skies where'er my sister goes
Nor scowling tempests injure her repose -
The field of life with roses thick be strow'd
Nor one sharp thorn lie lurking in the road.
Thy ev'ry path be still a path of peace
And each revolving year thy joys increase;
Till hours & years & time itself be o'er
And one eternal day around thee pour.
If Mairdie recommends it that’s good enough for me! :)
Artemis, that is one of the sweetest things anyone has ever said to me. I can’t thank you enough. What amazing kindness.
I can’t tell you how proud I am of the Thrice Happy poetry book. I LOVED comic books as a child and I love fine arts, including turn of the century postcards. My husband found us a program that would make it possible to layout the images and text and then it was a matter of choosing.
Poor husband! I went thru my whole postcard collection over and over again, but I kept finding poetry holes that I couldn’t fill, so back I’d go to Ebay until FINALLY I had the words covered.
I pick up the printed book and just page thru it sometimes with awe that it actually exists. When I stop to read a few lines, I’m still so in love with Henry’s words and the wonderfully gentle and funny way he saw the world. I wish everyone loved with that same all-encompassing joy.
He inspires me and it’s his joy that I want so much to share with the people here who’ve made me so happy, and taught me so much.
Thank you!
My deepest pleasure. I hope you enjoy it. And the most Happy Christmas to you and yours.
PING!
ADemocratNoMore just posted the most magnificent photo for a Christmas card for us. I would so enjoy it if any of you had their own Christmas photos to share back for us.
PING!
You’re sure to have some wonderful photo!
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