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Everlasting Flowers


Everlasting daisy, Megalong Valley

I've shown images of everlasting daisies before.

Words to walk with:
Everlasting Flowers by D H Lawrence
WHO do you think stands watching
The snow-tops shining rosy
In heaven, now that the darkness
Takes all but the tallest posy?

Who then sees the two-winged
Boat down there, all alone
And asleep on the snow's last shadow,
Like a moth on a stone?

The olive-leaves, light as gad-flies,
Have all gone dark, gone black.
And now in the dark my soul to you
Turns back.

To you, my little darling,
To you, out of Italy.
For what is loveliness, my love,
Save you have it with me!

So, there's an oxen wagon
Comes darkly into sight:
A man with a lantern, swinging
A little light.

What does he see, my darling
Here by the darkened lake?
Here, in the sloping shadow
The mountains make?

He says not a word, but passes,
Staring at what he sees.
What ghost of us both do you think he saw
Under the olive trees?

All the things that are lovely--
The things you never knew--
I wanted to gather them one by one
And bring them to you.

But never now, my darling
Can I gather the mountain-tips
From the twilight like half-shut lilies
To hold to your lips.

And never the two-winged vessel
That sleeps below on the lake
Can I catch like a moth between my hands
For you to take.

But hush, I am not regretting:
It is far more perfect now.
I'll whisper the ghostly truth to the world
And tell them how

I know you here in the darkness,
How you sit in the throne of my eyes
At peace, and look out of the windows
In glad surprise.

Comments

  1. Ah, that is so lovely, thank you :)

    TD

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  2. Wow, normally I have scant respect for Lawrence as a poet. As a novelist that is a different story. However, here he paints two images that will last in my head. The first that describes the man swinging the lantern "coming darkly into the night" and second, "you sit in the throne of my eyes". What a glorious expression that is the throne of his eyes.

    Now to the image. This is not bad, eh? The focus is obvious to us and what about that daddylonglegs of a seed clambering off the table ready to run off on his own merry way.

    Wuhoo ...

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  3. Oh Julie, your way with words ... daddylonglegs of a seed ... that is a perfect description for it ... it is of course the highlight of the photo.

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  4. julie, i was just going to say, "lovely" but your assessment was so deep and perfect.

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  5. Such a beautiful poem! Why have I never read that before? And your fuzzy Dandelion with its little parachutes ready to jump. You have refreshed me.

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  6. Reading this I realize how much I've missed your pairings of images and poetry. This one simply clutched my heart and would not let go. And guess what's on my desktop now?

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  7. Paula, I am very honoured, thank you.

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