Sometimes opinions change. Sometimes ideas that have stayed with you a lifetime suddenly alter and shift, and you find a different angle with which to view.

Take poetry. Apart from having a poem published in the school magazine I really couldn't see what all the fuss was about. For years, the well formed verses never quite did it for me. They were just words, structured, yet with little meaning.

Then everything changed.

Life changed.

Feeling at a particularly low point in my life, I just happened to be browsing a large book store. I picked up book after book. Just glancing briefly at them, and then placing them back on the shelf.

Then I pulled one particular book off the shelf. The Nations Favourite Poems as voted for by the British public. I scanned the pages, then read the poem that had been voted No.1. This poem had received twice as many votes as any other poem in the book.

The words leapt from the page. Surely the poem had been written for me. Every word had meaning. I remember tears streaming down my face. The author had connected with me. Years after he'd died he actually spoke to me.

I had a copy of the poem printed out onto an A4 sheet of paper. I carried that poem in my handbag every where I went. It really helped, knowing that poem was close to me.

Several handbags later I still have it. Even though the paper is tatty and worn, I just haven't the heart to throw it away. I have a framed copy of the poem on my wall, and a version of the poem by Ernest Shackleton (a great friend of the author).

I suppose I should reveal which poem literally changed my life. It may not be your favourite poem, but I'm sure there's a poem out there for everyone.




If by Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!



There are other poems I like, but this one really means something to me. Thank you for reading. Maybe you can share which poem if any is your favourite.

Thanks for reading Dusty :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-*

Very profound Dusty.

I read a poem once. I think the first line was "Twas on the good ship Venus...." :-/

It's great to see you back on again Dusty, congratulations on your recent success in the publishing field.

How about some of EE;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8Nxs0alNEI&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9Scwhpy9oY&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3esjTgR2W2E&feature=related

You've started him now Dusty.

wrote on 17. Dec 2009 at 16:34:

You've started him now Dusty.

;D ;D ;D  :y :y

Desperate Den wrote on 17. Dec 2009 at 16:36:

wrote on 17. Dec 2009 at 16:34: You've started him now Dusty. ;D ;D ;D  :y :y

Glad to have a bit of culture back on the forum Zulu. It's been somewhat bereft since you and Skruntie stopped educating us. :)

Desperate Den wrote on 17. Dec 2009 at 16:30:

It's great to see you back on again Dusty, congratulations on your recent success in the publishing field. How about some of EE; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8Nxs0alNEI&feature=related

Thank you for sharing this with us all Zulu. I found it very uplifting. :-* :-* :-* :-*

wrote on 17. Dec 2009 at 16:40:

Desperate Den wrote on 17. Dec 2009 at 16:36: wrote on 17. Dec 2009 at 16:34: You've started him now Dusty. ;D ;D ;D  :y :y Glad to have a bit of culture back on the forum Zulu. It's been somewhat bereft since you and Skruntie stopped educating us. :)

.....agreed ..............some of Skruntie's "fine art pictures"......taught me how to count up to two. ;D ;D ;)

Opti wrote on 17. Dec 2009 at 16:57:

wrote on 17. Dec 2009 at 16:40: Desperate Den wrote on 17. Dec 2009 at 16:36: wrote on 17. Dec 2009 at 16:34: You've started him now Dusty. ;D ;D ;D  :y :y Glad to have a bit of culture back on the forum Zulu. It's been somewhat bereft since you and Skruntie stopped educating us. :) .....agreed ..............some of Skruntie's "fine art pictures"......taught me how to count up to two. ;D ;D ;)

;D ;D

Well Dusty, the writer in you is certainly coming to the fore  :)

My favourite  -- or most comforting --  poem is one I have aired several times on here:

Death is nothing at all
I have only slipped away into the next room
I am I and you are you.
Whatever we were to each other
That we still are.

Call me by my old familiar name
Speak to me in the easy way which you always used
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.
Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes
We enjoyed together.

Play, smile, think of me, pray for me,
Let my name be ever the household word that
It always was.

Let it be spoken without effort,
Without the trace of a shadow on it.
Life means all that it ever meant
It is the same as it ever was
There is absolutely unbroken continuity.

Why should I be out of mind because I am
Out of sight? I am but waiting for you
For an interval
Somewhere very near
Just around the corner .
All is well.

Canon Henry Scott Holland (1847-1918)

I rather like this one too:

Said Hamlet to Ophelia,
I'll draw a sketch of thee,
What kind of pencil shall I use?
2B or not 2B?



I had a poem printed in the old school mag when slates were still in use:

A man jumped down a sewer
and down that sewer he died.
The coroner gave his verdict,
he pronounced it "sewer-cide".

Ah well I was only 12  ;D

I used to detest poetry, possibly because I had to do so much of it at school.  One of my English teachers actually described me as an "arrogant Philistine". 

But 50 years later, I'm astonished at how much of the stuff I read and learned then has stuck.  I can quote an amazing range of stuff that I don't even remember learning.

Perhaps I'd have enjoyed it more if they'd given us stuff like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6IP9znGlAw

there once was a woman from leeds
who swallowed a packet of seeds
in less than an hour
her tits were flowers
and her f%nny a punnet of weeds

no no sorry about that on a serious note why i love poetry
mary had a little lamb
she fed it on cream crackers
everytime it made a noise
she kicked it in the knackers ;D

'We're of cat food' said my wife
'I'll nip out forthwith' said I
T'was sunny but cold cut like a knife
To the pet shop on the High
Street I went without a care
To purchase cat food there
But alas the sky grew dark
And down came the snow
A laugh and lark
With the owner whom I know
She has two dogs in the back
Their wagging tales cheered my heart
But homeward I must start
Thick as owt the snow had fell
Gonna be tricky  could tell
But happy as sandboys
I knew my miggy would cope
In i got safe with my toys
That would help should i need
Anti-lock brakes, only drive at low speed
I told myself as I pulled into traffic
Straight into the back of a C3 Fekking Anti-lock brakes did fwck all as ice and snow built up under wheels and BAM !!!!! Bye-bye car.

Think the end needs a little work

There was a young lady from Lunt...

;D ;D ;D

hmmm let me think hmmm what rhymes with lunt

oh yes its :-X

Jimbob wrote on 17. Dec 2009 at 20:06:

There was a young lady from Lunt... ;D ;D ;D

Whose nose was incredibly blunt

Mary had a little Lamb,
She fed it castor oil,
And everywhere that Mary went
it fertilized the soil.

Mary had a little Lamb,
She also had a duck,
She put them on the windowsill
To see if they would fall off.

Mary had a little watch
She swallowed it one day
And so she took some castor oil
To pass the time away.

The castor oil it did not work
The watch refused to pass,
So if you want to know the time,
Just look up ... at the clock.

Mary had a little Lamb,
It followed her to school,
They tied a brick around its neck
And drowned it in the pool.

Mary had a bicycle,
She rode it back to front,
And every time she turned a bend
The spokes went up her leg.

Mary had a little Lamb,
She took it to the zoo,
It got raped by an elephant
And had a kangaroo.

Mary had a little Lamb,
Her father shot it dead,
She still takes the lamb to school
Between two bits of bread.

Mary had a little Lamb,
You've heard that tale before,
But have you heard she passed her plate
And had a little more.

Mary had a little lamb
She tied it to a pylon
10 000 volts shot up its ...leg
And turned its wool to nylon

Mary had an little lamb
It danced in skips and hops,
It danced into the road one day
And ended up as chops

Mary had a little lamb
She also had a bear
I've often seen her little lamb
But I've never seen her bare.

Mary had a little dress
Its seam was split up high
And every where that Mary went
The boys could see her thigh

Mary had another dress 
Its seam was split up front
But she never wore that one!

Mary had a little lamb
The doctor was surprised
But when Old McDonald had a farm
He couldn't believe his eyes

Mary had a little lamb
Its fleece was black as soot
And everywhere that Mary went
Its sooty foot he put.

Mary had a little lamb
Its fleece was white as snow
Maar 'n ram het die lam gevang
En kyk hoe lyk hy nou!

They sat upon the grassy bank
And she was all a-quiver...
He undid her suspender belt
And her leg fell into the river!

Mary had a little lamb
and tied it to the heater,
every time it turned around
it burned its little peter!

Mary had a little lamb
She ate it with mint sauce
And everywhere that Mary went
The lamb went too, of course

Mary had a little lamb,
And it was always grunting.
She tied to the garden fence,
And kicked it's ... favourite soccerball

Mary is a proper girl,
She goes to church on Sundays.
She prays that she will have the strength,
To chase the boys on Mondays.

A peanut sat on a railroad track
His heart was all a-flutter
A chooka train came round the bend,
TOOT TOOT Peanut butter.

A hen and a chicken went for a walk
Just to stretch their legs,
A motorcar came round the bend,
TOOT TOOT Ham and eggs.

Oh! the night was dark and dreary,
The air was full of sleet,
The old man stood out in the storm,
His shoes were full of feet.

Oh! Mosquito he fly high,
Mosquito he fly low,
If old man 'Skeeta light on me,
He ain't gonna fly no more.

Oh, of all the fishes in the sea,
My favorite is the bass,
He climbs up in the seaweed trees,
And slides down on his hands and knees.

An old man lay down by a sewer
And by a sewer he died.
Now, at the coroner's request,
They called it sewer-side.

A golf ball sailin' thru the air,
Whizzed by a man a hummin'
He heard a caddy holler, "Fore!"
An' he thought three more were comin'.

"The way to tell the twins apart,"
The proud father said,
"I put my finger in Willie's mouth,
If he bites it, then it's Ned."

When boating, never quarrel,
For you'll find, without a doubt,
A boat is not the proper place
To have a falling out.

"The coffee is exhausted, Sir."
The diner was advised.
Says he, "It's been so weak of late,
I'm really not surprised."

There's a gal up in the hills,
She's awfully shy and meek,
She undresses in the dark
Because the mountains peak.

Mary had a steamboat;
The steamboat had a bell.
Mary went to heaven,
The steamboat went "Toot, toot."

When Mary had a little lamb,
The doctor almost cried.
But when Ol' MacDonald had a farm,
The doctor almost died.

Said baby tern to mother tern,
"Can I have a brother."
"Yes" said mom to baby tern,
"One good tern deserves another."

Oh for a home where the buffalo roam,
Where the deer and the antelope play.
Where seldon is heard a discouraging word,
For what can an antelope say?

wrote on 17. Dec 2009 at 20:22:

Mary had a little Lamb, She fed it castor oil, And everywhere that Mary went it fertilized the soil. Mary had a little Lamb, She also had a duck, She put them on the windowsill To see if they would fall off. Mary had a little watch She swallowed it one day And so she took some castor oil To pass the time away. The castor oil it did not work The watch refused to pass, So if you want to know the time, Just look up ... at the clock. Mary had a little Lamb, It followed her to school, They tied a brick around its neck And drowned it in the pool. Mary had a bicycle, She rode it back to front, And every time she turned a bend The spokes went up her leg. Mary had a little Lamb, She took it to the zoo, It got raped by an elephant And had a kangaroo. Mary had a little Lamb, Her father shot it dead, She still takes the lamb to school Between two bits of bread. Mary had a little Lamb, You've heard that tale before, But have you heard she passed her plate And had a little more. Mary had a little lamb She tied it to a pylon 10 000 volts shot up its ...leg And turned its wool to nylon Mary had an little lamb It danced in skips and hops, It danced into the road one day And ended up as chops Mary had a little lamb She also had a bear I've often seen her little lamb But I've never seen her bare. Mary had a little dress Its seam was split up high And every where that Mary went The boys could see her thigh Mary had another dress  Its seam was split up front But she never wore that one! Mary had a little lamb The doctor was surprised But when Old McDonald had a farm He couldn't believe his eyes Mary had a little lamb Its fleece was black as soot And everywhere that Mary went Its sooty foot he put. Mary had a little lamb Its fleece was white as snow Maar 'n ram het die lam gevang En kyk hoe lyk hy nou! They sat upon the grassy bank And she was all a-quiver... He undid her suspender belt And her leg fell into the river! Mary had a little lamb and tied it to the heater, every time it turned around it burned its little peter! Mary had a little lamb She ate it with mint sauce And everywhere that Mary went The lamb went too, of course Mary had a little lamb, And it was always grunting. She tied to the garden fence, And kicked it's ... favourite soccerball Mary is a proper girl, She goes to church on Sundays. She prays that she will have the strength, To chase the boys on Mondays. A peanut sat on a railroad track His heart was all a-flutter A chooka train came round the bend, TOOT TOOT Peanut butter. A hen and a chicken went for a walk Just to stretch their legs, A motorcar came round the bend, TOOT TOOT Ham and eggs. Oh! the night was dark and dreary, The air was full of sleet, The old man stood out in the storm, His shoes were full of feet. Oh! Mosquito he fly high, Mosquito he fly low, If old man 'Skeeta light on me, He ain't gonna fly no more. Oh, of all the fishes in the sea, My favorite is the bass, He climbs up in the seaweed trees, And slides down on his hands and knees. An old man lay down by a sewer And by a sewer he died. Now, at the coroner's request, They called it sewer-side. A golf ball sailin' thru the air, Whizzed by a man a hummin' He heard a caddy holler, "Fore!" An' he thought three more were comin'. "The way to tell the twins apart," The proud father said, "I put my finger in Willie's mouth, If he bites it, then it's Ned." When boating, never quarrel, For you'll find, without a doubt, A boat is not the proper place To have a falling out. "The coffee is exhausted, Sir." The diner was advised. Says he, "It's been so weak of late, I'm really not surprised." There's a gal up in the hills, She's awfully shy and meek, She undresses in the dark Because the mountains peak. Mary had a steamboat; The steamboat had a bell. Mary went to heaven, The steamboat went "Toot, toot." When Mary had a little lamb, The doctor almost cried. But when Ol' MacDonald had a farm, The doctor almost died. Said baby tern to mother tern, "Can I have a brother." "Yes" said mom to baby tern, "One good tern deserves another." Oh for a home where the buffalo roam, Where the deer and the antelope play. Where seldon is heard a discouraging word, For what can an antelope say?

is that all yer know,yer memory must be shocking

wrote on 17. Dec 2009 at 20:29:

is that all yer know,yer memory must be shocking

It's an "age thing" Herc  ;D ::)

I remember, many, many years ago I was on a night shift and bored. I found a few verses of Eskimo Nell on the works computer and decided to print them out .... big mistake !! I tied up the office printer for 4 hours and wasted reams of paper !!!  No abort button either !!!!

wrote on 18. Dec 2009 at 20:17:

wrote on 17. Dec 2009 at 20:29: is that all yer know,yer memory must be shocking It's an "age thing" Herc  ;D ::) I remember, many, many years ago I was on a night shift and bored. I found a few verses of Eskimo Nell on the works computer and decided to print them out .... big mistake !! I tied up the office printer for 4 hours and wasted reams of paper !!!  No abort button either !!!!

bloody hell just read it all of it,id never heard of it

very good :y

wrote on 18. Dec 2009 at 20:17:

wrote on 17. Dec 2009 at 20:29: is that all yer know,yer memory must be shocking It's an "age thing" Herc  ;D ::) I remember, many, many years ago I was on a night shift and bored. I found a few verses of Eskimo Nell on the works computer and decided to print them out .... big mistake !! I tied up the office printer for 4 hours and wasted reams of paper !!!  No abort button either !!!!

I ought to add that, over the years, the lads had added several hundred plus "verses" of their own --- another by-product of boring night shifts!

wrote on 18. Dec 2009 at 20:17:

wrote on 17. Dec 2009 at 20:29: is that all yer know,yer memory must be shocking It's an "age thing" Herc  ;D ::) I remember, many, many years ago I was on a night shift and bored. I found a few verses of Eskimo Nell on the works computer and decided to print them out .... big mistake !! I tied up the office printer for 4 hours and wasted reams of paper !!!  No abort button either !!!!

That takes me back a bit.  I spent a lot of time trying to suppress Eskimo Nell, Star Trek and Dungeon, but as soon as I got rid of them some conniving b*st*rd would put them back on the machine again.  Never found out how - no internet in those days, so they must have been conspiring with the operations people. :)

So let us go then, you and I ...
off to our favourite poetry.

Thanks Zulu77 for the ee c. a whole new canon to me.

(not scanning well so far).

Funny, baffling, profound: try H McDiarmid: http://www2.arts.gla.ac.uk/SESLL/STELLA/STARN/crit/NORTHERN/20thpoet.htm.

Similarly, brothers and sisters, R Burns: http://www.robertburns.org/works/496.shtml.

K

Kevin M wrote on 19. Dec 2009 at 21:50:

Funny, baffling, profound: try H McDiarmid: http://www2.arts.gla.ac.uk/SESLL/STELLA/STARN/crit/NORTHERN/20thpoet.htm. Similarly, brothers and sisters, R Burns: http://www.robertburns.org/works/496.shtml. K

Don't forget the man who did for Scottish poetry what Sir Fred Goodwin did for Scottish banking
http://www.mcgonagall-online.org.uk/poems/pgdisaster.htm

Kevin M wrote on 19. Dec 2009 at 21:50:

So let us go then, you and I ... off to our favourite poetry. Thanks Zulu77 for the ee c. a whole new canon to me. (not scanning well so far). Funny, baffling, profound: try H McDiarmid: http://www2.arts.gla.ac.uk/SESLL/STELLA/STARN/crit/NORTHERN/20thpoet.htm. Similarly, brothers and sisters, R Burns: http://www.robertburns.org/works/496.shtml. K

Funny, baffling, profound: try H McDiarmid: http://www2.arts.gla.ac.uk/SESLL/STELLA/STARN/crit/NORTHERN/20thpoet.htm.


Agreed K, I also feel that when such works depart from the higher language the dialect used gives much more emphasis to the intent of the writer.

Although it can be difficult to read - witness Kipling when he uses the base delivery of the ordinary Tommy in his various military pieces - the overall effect is profound to say the least but such works only come really alive when read by a native speaker.

Sometimes the opaqueness of the language adds to the continuing interest in / mystery of the words. But, as you say, only up to a point. I recall skipping some of the Plain Tales from the Hills due to the Tommies. (now you've reminded me of it, I'll have to get my copy down from the loft. Whilst there, i'll get HH Munro as well ...)
Others (eg Eliot) are opaque enough in parts without the added complication of dialect. Makes me wonder how much of what we get from poetry is our superimposition on it, rather than the author's original intent.

Considering how words come alive when read by a native speaker - delivered here in something very near to an Ulster/Scots dialect;


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBUP0M4AS0U&feature=related

Kevin M wrote on 19. Dec 2009 at 22:49:

Sometimes the opaqueness of the language adds to the continuing interest in / mystery of the words. But, as you say, only up to a point. I recall skipping some of the Plain Tales from the Hills due to the Tommies. (now you've reminded me of it, I'll have to get my copy down from the loft. Whilst there, i'll get HH Munro as well ...) Others (eg Eliot) are opaque enough in parts without the added complication of dialect. Makes me wonder how much of what we get from poetry is our superimposition on it, rather than the author's original intent.

That's a very important point K and without doubt the fullness of heavily accented works is sadly lost at some stage to those of us who struggle with unfamiliar construction.

When the language is universally understood however, what joy it brings;


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWVvlZdLTDA

Somewhere in my head I can hear Richard Burton reading KJV Ecclesiastes but see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qur7-MSnmck as a substitute. Perhaps stretching the definition of "poetry" now.

And I don't suppose Solomon (?) sounded like Burton at all ...

Kevin M wrote on 19. Dec 2009 at 23:24:

Somewhere in my head I can hear Richard Burton reading KJV Ecclesiastes but see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qur7-MSnmck as a substitute. Perhaps stretching the definition of "poetry" now. And I don't suppose Solomon (?) sounded like Burton at all ...

see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qur7-MSnmck as a substitute. Perhaps stretching the definition of "poetry" now.


Maybe in the purest sense but the power of these words lose nothing for it.  It indicates to me the insignifance of humankind in relation to our ability to really influence that which is around us and is particurlarly relevent to the nonsense witnessed in Copenhagen over the recent past.


And I don't suppose Solomon (?) sounded like Burton at all


;D ;D but what a voice all the same :-* :-* :-*