Poetry and Potpourri .... September 29 - 30, 2003

9-29-2003 | JustAmy, St.Louie1 and Mama_Bear

[JustAmy]

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The Poetry Branch has been in limbo since the prior hostess left FreeRepublic April 15th 2003. We've since learned that said hostess has lost her posting privilege. That being the case, and Jim Robinson having given his ok, I wanted to renew the thread.

FreeRepublic is blessed with many fine poets, and we look forward to seeing their poems posted on FR once again. There were many non-poet FReepers who visited the Poetry Branch for the camaraderie; we hope they will return.

I would like to invite everyone to visit and relax at Poetry and Potpourri. Hopefully you will renew old acquaintances for chatting, sharing jokes, telling stories, posting cartoons, etc. Everyone needs a place to escape from the everyday news, make Poetry and Potpourri that place.

...................

The Belvedere's Guardian Wolf ~
the always charming, lovable, huggable,
LouieWolf.

[JustAmy]

If you would like to be added to the Poetry and Potpourri ping list, I would love to have you! If you would like to be removed, let me know via FReepMail, I will do so immediately.

Prior Threads
September 22, 2003
September 24, 2003
September 26, 2003
September 27 - 28, 2003

[JustAmy]

Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

~~~~ Robert Frost ~~~~

[JustAmy]

God has not promised skies always blue,
flower-strewn pathways all our lives through;
God has not promised sun without rain,
joy without sorrow, peace without pain.
But God has promised strength for the day,
rest for the labor, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above,
unfailing sympathy, undying love.

~~~~ Annie Johnson Flint ~~~~

[JustAmy]

The Powers that Be

He gets up at five
Turns the coffee pot on
Another day at the factory
And it's going to be long

He stares at the wall
Where a calendar hangs
And thinks "Who needs that?
Every day's just the same."

He remembers a river
Where he used to catch fish
Once he caught a ten pounder
And fulfilled a deep wish

He remembers the picture
His friend had to take
They'd been out all evening
He was barely awake!

Just one more cup of coffee
And a paper to read
Then it's off to the factory
And the powers that be

Karen Shaw Matteson
©2001

[JustAmy]

Breakfast Pancakes II

These give you a great start to the day!

Serves 4

Self raising flour - 175g (6 oz)
Oat bran - 50g (2 oz)
Salt - ½ tsp
Egg - 1
Milk - 300 ml (10 fl oz)
Melted butter - for frying
Onion - 1, chopped
Butter - 15g (½ oz)
Soured cream - 300 ml (10 fl oz)
Streaky bacon - 8 rashers, grilled

METHOD
Mix flour, bran and salt together. Add egg and half the milk, mix to a smooth, creamy batter. Stir in remaining milk.

Brush a frying pan with melted butter and heat. Spoon 4 large rounds of mixture into pan. Cook until bubbles show on surface, turn over and cook for about 2 minutes. Keep warm and repeat with remaining mixture.

Fry onion in butter until golden. Serve pancakes topped with soured cream, onions and bacon.

[Fawnn]

You might enjoy reading If Jack London Had Edited Robert Frost, a humorous look at perhaps how Jack London would have edited Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening.

[Fawnn]

See Me in the Lilacs

 When a late freeze comes
        I rush to cover the lilacs
                that bloomed just yesterday 

 When an ice storm threatens
        South Carolina's peaches,
                we never blame the trees.

 Why am I to blame,
        choosing, as you say,
                to repeat patterns?

 Tell the lilac
        to create fragrant blooms
                despite her frozen limbs.

  Tell the peach tree
        to put the frost behind her
                and make fruit without blossoms.

 Tell the Star of Bethlehem
        caught in the mower's blade
                to rise like a Lazarus flower,

 then return to me and say you understand.

Copyright © -2003 Tara Allan
All Rights Reserved.

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From "Stained Glass," a chapbook of  poems by Tara Allan published by the Poet Tree Press. Tara has been bed-ridden with CFIDS for the several years.  A creative as well as technical writer, she is the editor of the recently published "Shadow and Light; The Voice of CFIDS," an anthology of poems and letters by CFIDS patients, friends, and family.

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[dixie sass]

Morning Amy and everyone! I'm heading back to bed. See you later!

[Pippin]

GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY!

[MeekOneGOP]

Mmmmmmm-mmmmm !! I just got up. Those pancakes look GOOD too !! :O)

Thanks ...

... and good morning !

[Victoria Delsoul]

Happy Monday, everyone. Good to see you all.

For Music

There be none of Beauty's daughters
With a magic like thee;
And like music on the waters
Is thy sweet voice to me:
When, as if its sound were causing
The charmèd ocean's pausing,
The waves lie still and gleaming,
And the lull'd winds seem dreaming:

And the midnight moon is weaving
Her bright chain o'er the deep;
Whose breast is gently heaving,
As an infant's asleep:
So the spirit bows before thee,
To listen and adore thee;
With a full but soft emotion,
Like the swell of Summer's ocean.

-- Lord Byron

[The Mayor]

[Temple Owl]

And God has kept his promise. The sun always shines on Temple Owl. Good morning all.

[Darksheare]

Pretty.
And 'Uh oh, new thread'.
Thou hast invented a new thing.
Instead of thread bouncing, what I do which is going from thread to thread amongst friends and such, thou hast created the Thread Hop.
The whole thread moves along on a per day basis.
(Could be interesting to see if that inspires anything in and of itself..)

[JustAmy]

Welcome to Poetry and Potpourri!!

Yes ...... I enjoyed reading how Jack London might have edited the Robert Frost poem. Thanks for the link.

[JustAmy]

Thanks for sharing 'See Me in the Lilacs' and also for the bio on Tara Allen. I am not familiar with CFIDS.

Hope you come by to relax and contribute your favorite poems often.

Amy

[JustAmy]

A good brisk fall morning to everyone.

[JustAmy]

Good Morning ((((( Pippin )))))

Hope you get your modem soon!!

[JustAmy]

Good Morning, Meekie.

What ????? No coffee this morning?
Good to see you this beautiful morning. (I think it's beautiful ..... it's still dark.

[JustAmy]

Thank you Victoria!! The image is so precious. That is a beautiful poem that you found to share with us today. Thank You .... See you after work.