Week5PoemsIAmIam—yetwhatIamnonecaresorknows;Myfriendsforsakemelikeamemorylost:Iamtheself-consumerofmywoes—Theyriseandvanishinoblivioushost,Likeshadowsinlove’sfrenziedstifledthroesAndyetIam,andlive—likevapourstossedIntothenothingnessofscornandnoise,Intothelivingseaofwakingdreams,Wherethereisneithersenseoflifeorjoys,Butthevastshipwreckofmylife’sesteems;EventhedearestthatIlovedthebestArestrange—nay,rather,strangerthantherest.IlongforsceneswheremanhathnevertrodAplacewherewomanneversmiledorweptTheretoabidewithmyCreator,God,AndsleepasIinchildhoodsweetlyslept,UntroublinganduntroubledwhereIlieThegrassbelow—abovethevaultedsky.JohnClare(1793–1864)
LiteratureandMentalHealth:ReadingforWellbeing
OdetoaNightingaleMyheartaches,andadrowsynumbnesspainsMysense,asthoughofhemlockIhaddrunk,OremptiedsomedullopiatetothedrainsOneminutepast,andLethe-wardshadsunk:‘Tisnotthroughenvyofthyhappylot,Butbeingtoohappyinthinehappiness,—Thatthou,light-wingedDryadofthetreesInsomemelodiousplotOfbeechengreen,andshadowsnumberless,Singestofsummerinfull-throatedease.O,foradraughtofvintage!thathathbeenCool’dalongageinthedeep-delvedearth,TastingofFloraandthecountrygreen,Dance,andProvençalsong,andsunburntmirth!OforabeakerfullofthewarmSouth,Fullofthetrue,theblushfulHippocrene,Withbeadedbubbleswinkingatthebrim,Andpurple-stainedmouth;ThatImightdrink,andleavetheworldunseen,Andwiththeefadeawayintotheforestdim:Fadefaraway,dissolve,andquiteforgetWhatthouamongtheleaveshastneverknown,Theweariness,thefever,andthefretHere,wheremensitandheareachothergroan;Wherepalsyshakesafew,sad,lastgrayhairs,Whereyouthgrowspale,andspectre-thin,anddies;WherebuttothinkistobefullofsorrowAndleaden-eyeddespairs,WhereBeautycannotkeepherlustrouseyes,OrnewLovepineatthembeyondto-morrow.Away!away!forIwillflytothee,NotchariotedbyBacchusandhispards,ButontheviewlesswingsofPoesy,Thoughthedullbrainperplexesandretards:Alreadywiththee!tenderisthenight,AndhaplytheQueen-Moonisonherthrone,Cluster’daroundbyallherstarryFays;Butherethereisnolight,SavewhatfromheaveniswiththebreezesblownThroughverdurousgloomsandwindingmossyways.
Icannotseewhatflowersareatmyfeet,Norwhatsoftincensehangsupontheboughs,But,inembalmeddarkness,guesseachsweetWherewiththeseasonablemonthendowsThegrass,thethicket,andthefruit-treewild;Whitehawthorn,andthepastoraleglantine;Fastfadingvioletscover’dupinleaves;Andmid-May’seldestchild,Thecomingmusk-rose,fullofdewywine,Themurmuroushauntoffliesonsummereves.DarklingIlisten;and,formanyatimeIhavebeenhalfinlovewitheasefulDeath,Call’dhimsoftnamesinmanyamusedrhyme,Totakeintotheairmyquietbreath;Nowmorethaneverseemsitrichtodie,Toceaseuponthemidnightwithnopain,WhilethouartpouringforththysoulabroadInsuchanecstasy!Stillwouldstthousing,andIhaveearsinvain—Tothyhighrequiembecomeasod.Thouwastnotbornfordeath,immortalBird!Nohungrygenerationstreadtheedown;ThevoiceIhearthispassingnightwasheardInancientdaysbyemperorandclown:Perhapstheself-samesongthatfoundapathThroughthesadheartofRuth,when,sickforhome,Shestoodintearsamidthealiencorn;Thesamethatoft-timeshathCharm’dmagiccasements,openingonthefoamOfperilousseas,infaerylandsforlorn.Forlorn!theverywordislikeabellTotollmebackfromtheetomysoleself!Adieu!thefancycannotcheatsowellAssheisfam’dtodo,deceivingelf.Adieu!adieu!thyplaintiveanthemfadesPastthenearmeadows,overthestillstream,Upthehill-side;andnow‘tisburieddeepInthenextvalley-glades:Wasitavision,orawakingdream?Fledisthatmusic:—DoIwakeorsleep?JohnKeats(1795–1821)
MelancholyTherainandwind,therainandwind,ravedendlessly.Onmethesummerstorm,andfever,andmelancholyWroughtmagic,sothatifIfearedthesolitudeFarmoreIfearedallcompany:toosharp,toorude,Hadbeenthewisestorthedearesthumanvoice.WhatIdesiredIknewnot,butwhate’ermychoiceVainitmustbe,Iknew.YetnaughtdidmydespairButsweetenthestrangesweetness,whilethroughthewildairAlldaylongIheardadistantcuckoocallingAnd,softasdulcimers,soundsofnearwaterfalling,And,softer,andremoteasifinhistory,Rumoursofwhathadtouchedmyfriends,myfoes,orme.EdwardThomas(1878-1917)FromMichaelThereisacomfortinthestrengthoflove;’Twillmakeathingendurable,whichelseWouldoversetthebrain,orbreaktheheart:IhaveconversedwithmorethanonewhowellRemembertheoldMan,andwhathewasYearsafterhehadheardthisheavynews.HisbodilyframehadbeenfromyouthtoageOfanunusualstrength.AmongtherocksHewent,andstilllookeduptosunandcloud,Andlistenedtothewind;and,asbefore,Performedallkindsoflabourforhissheep,Andfortheland,hissmallinheritance.AndtothathollowdellfromtimetotimeDidherepair,tobuildtheFoldofwhichHisflockhadneed.’TisnotforgottenyetThepitywhichwasthenineveryheartFortheoldMan—and’tisbelievedbyallThatmanyandmanyadayhethitherwent,Andneverliftedupasinglestone.WilliamWordsworth(1770–1850)
HopeHopeisthethingwithfeathersThatperchesinthesoul,Andsingsthetunewithoutthewords,Andneverstopsatall,Andsweetestinthegaleisheard;AndsoremustbethestormThatcouldabashthelittlebirdThatkeptsomanywarm.I'vehearditinthechillestland,Andonthestrangestsea;Yet,never,inextremity,Itaskedacrumbofme.EmilyDickinson(1830–1886)COLLECTEDPOEMSOFEMILYDICKINSON,editedMabelLoomisToddandT.W.Higginson.Love(III)Lovebademewelcome.YetmysouldrewbackGuiltyofdustandsin.Butquick-eyedLove,observingmegrowslackFrommyfirstentrancein,Drewnearertome,sweetlyquestioning,IfIlackedanything.Aguest,Ianswered,worthytobehere:Lovesaid,Youshallbehe.Itheunkind,ungrateful?Ahmydear,Icannotlookonthee.Lovetookmyhand,andsmilingdidreply,WhomadetheeyesbutI?TruthLord,butIhavemarredthem:letmyshameGowhereitdothdeserve.Andknowyounot,saysLove,whoboretheblame?Mydear,thenIwillserve.Youmustsitdown,saysLove,andtastemymeat:SoIdidsitandeat.GeorgeHerbert(1593-1633)
TheDarklingThrushIleantuponacoppicegateWhenFrostwasspectre-grey,AndWinter'sdregsmadedesolateTheweakeningeyeofday.Thetangledbine-stemsscoredtheskyLikestringsofbrokenlyres,AndallmankindthathauntednighHadsoughttheirhouseholdfires.Theland'ssharpfeaturesseemedtobeTheCentury'scorpseoutleant,Hiscryptthecloudycanopy,Thewindhisdeath-lament.TheancientpulseofgermandbirthWasshrunkenhardanddry,AndeveryspirituponearthSeemedfervourlessasI.AtonceavoicearoseamongThebleaktwigsoverheadInafull-heartedevensongOfjoyillimited;Anagedthrush,frail,gaunt,andsmall,Inblast-beruffledplume,HadchosenthustoflinghissoulUponthegrowinggloom.SolittlecauseforcarolingsOfsuchecstaticsoundWaswrittenonterrestrialthingsAfarornigharound,ThatIcouldthinktheretrembledthroughHishappygood-nightairSomeblessedHope,whereofheknewAndIwasunaware.ThomasHardy(1840-1928)
ASelectionofMemorableLines‘Ifyoucantrustyourselfwhenallmendoubtyou,Butmakeallowancefortheirdoubtingtoo’ RudyardKipling,‘If’‘Thistooshallpass’‘Iamthemasterofmyfate,Iamthecaptainofmysoul.’ WilliamErnestHenley,‘Invinctus’‘Allshallbewell,andallshallbewell,andallmannerofthingshallbewell’ JulianofNorwich‘Afterall,tomorrowisanotherday.’ MargaretMitchell,GonewiththeWind‘Goplacidlyamidthenoiseandhaste’ MaxEhrmann,Desiderata‘Thisaboveall,tothineownselfbetrue’ Polonius,WilliamShakespeare,Hamlet‘Everyonesuddenlyburstoutsinging;AndIwasfilledwithsuchdelight’ SiegfriedSassoon,‘EveryoneSang’‘Hewhosavesasinglelife,savestheworldentire’‘Andasthetwilightnetstheplungingsun,Myheart’skeelslidestorestamongthemeadows’ LaurieLee,‘HomefromAbroad’
