A picture, a poem, a painting

and a piece of music

-o-0-o-

-o-0-o-

Happy the man, whose wish and care
A few paternal acres bound,
Content to breathe his native air
In his own ground.

Whose herds with milk, whose fields with bread,
Whose flocks supply him with attire;
Whose trees in summer yield him shade,
In winter fire.

Blest, who can unconcernedly find
Hours, days and years slide soft away
In health of body, peace of mind,
Quiet by day,

Sound sleep at night; study and ease
Together mixed; sweet recreation,
And innocence, which most does please
With meditation.

Thus let me live, unseen, unknown;
Thus unlamented let me die;
Steal from the world, and not a stone
Tell where I lie.

-o-0-o-



-o-0-o-



-o-0-o-

the picture - from stumbleupon.com
the poem - Alexander Pope 1688-1744
the painting - A Summer Morning by E.A. Walton 1860-1922
the music - Aquarium (The Carnival of the Animals) by Saint-Saens played by 4 girls 4 harps and choir

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

-o-0-o-

Two poems by Thomas Hardy

-o-0-o-

Waiting Both

A star looks down at me,
And says, “Here I and you
Stand, each in our degree;
What do you mean to do -
Mean to do?”

I say, “For all I know,
Wait, and let Time go by,
Till my change come,” “Just so,”
The star says, “So mean I -
So mean I.”

-o-0-o-

Any Little Old Song

Any little old song
Will do for me,
Tell it of joys gone long,
Or joys to be,
Or friendly faces best
Loved to see.

Newest themes I want not
On subtle strings,
And for thrillings pant not
That new song brings;
I only need the homeliest
Of heartstrings.

-o-0-o-


A Scene at Arran, Scotland by William Dyce

-o-0-o-

Thanks to “pray2U4ever” for this video. The music is Boccherini’s Minuet which comes from his String Quintet in E.

-o-0-o-

Tomorrow at John’s Gallery - Five paintings by John William Godward
http://johnsgallery.blogspot.com

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

For Valentine's Day . . . .

“Oh, ‘tis love, ‘tis love that makes the world go around” -
- according to the Duchess, in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.
The origin of the phrase may be a French song from the early 18th century:
C’est l’amour, c’est l’amour
Qui fait la monde
A la ronde.

A love letter

Yes, I now feel that it was then on that evening of sweet dreams - that the very first dawn of human love burst upon the icy night of my spirit. Since that period I have never seen nor heard your name without a shiver half of delight, half of anxiety. For years your name never passed my lips, while my soul drank in, with a delirious thirst, all that was uttered in my presence respecting you. (Edgar Allan Poe 1809-1849)

-o-0-o-

A love poem

True love is a sacred flame
That burns eternally,
And none can dim its special glow
Or change its destiny.

True love speaks in tender tones
And hears with gentle ear,
True love gives with open heart
And true love conquers fear.

True love makes no harsh demands
It neither rules nor binds,
And true love holds with gentle hands
The hearts that it entwines. (Anon)

-o-0-o-

And a love song by Jack Payne and his Orchestra from 1932



Today at John’s Gallery -
Five paintings by Adolphe-William Bouguereau
http://johnsgallery.blogspot.com

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

-o-0-o-

The Fallow Deer at the Lonely House
by
Thomas Hardy

One without looks in tonight
Through the curtain-chink
From the sheet of glistening white;
One without looks in tonight
As we sit and think
By the fender-brink.

We do not discern those eyes
Watching in the snow;
Lit by lamps of rosy dyes
We do not discern those eyes
Wondering, aglow,
Fourfooted, tiptoe.



With thanks to FreeFoto.com for the use of both photographs

-o-0-o-

I'm very enthusiastic about this video which was devised by Myriliam of Austria. "Winter" is performed by Qntal, a German group who describe their style as “electro-medieval.” The singer is Syra and the words are old German.



-o-0-o-

Today’s painting at JOHN’S GALLERY
The Soul of the Rose, by John William Waterhouse
http://johnsgallery.blogspot.com

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-