Bee

************************************** Sun-warmed in this late season’s grace under the autumn’s gentlest sky we walked, and froze half-through a pace. The great black snake went reeling by. Head-down, tongue-flickering on the trail he quested through the parting grass; sun glazed his curves of diamond scale and we lost breath to watch him pass. What track he followed, what small food fled living from his fierce intent, we scarcely thought; still as we stood our eyes went with him as he went. Cold, dark and splendid he was gone into the grass that hid his prey . We took a deeper breath of day, looked at each other, and went on.

Opportunity When Mrs Gorm (Aunt Eloise) was stung to death by savage bees Her husband (Pebendary Gorm) put on his veil, and took the swarm He's publishing a book next May on 'How to make bee-keeping pay' Harry Graham 1874-1936 __________________

Youth, Day, Old Age and Night ___________________________________ Youth, large, lusty, loving-youth full of grace, force, fascination, Do you know that Old Age may come after you with equal grace, force, fascination? Day full-blown and splendid-day of the immense sun, action, ambition, laughter, The Night follows close with millions of suns, and sleep and restoring darkness. ________________________________________________________________ by: Walt Whitman

Lazy Man's Song I could have a job, but am too lazy to choose it; I have got land, but am too lazy to farm it. My house leaks; I am too lazy to mend it. My clothes are torn; I am too lazy to darn them. I have got wine, but I am too lazy to drink; So it's just the same as if my cup were empty. I have got a lute, but am too lazy to play; So it's just the same as if it had no strings. My family tells me there is no more steamed rice; I want to cook, but am too lazy to grind. My friends and relatives write me long letters; I should like to read them, but they're such a bother to open. I have always been told that Hsi Shu-yeh Passed his whole life in absolute idleness. But he played his lute and sometimes worked at his forge; So even he was not so lazy as I. Notes This poem taken from the book "People" in the Poems and Pictures series. Ed Dennis saunders / Vincent Oliver Pub Evans Brothers, London [page 2]

l(a... (a leaf falls on loneliness) l(a le af fa ll s) one l iness --- E E Cummings

O incomparable Giver of life, cut reason loose at last! Let it wander grey-eyed from vanity to vanity. Shatter open my skull, pour in it the wine of madness! Let me be mad, as You; mad with You, with us. Beyond the sanity of fools is a burning desert Where Your sun is whirling in every atom: Beloved, drag me there, let me roast in Perfection! - Rumi  

THE GRAVE AND THE ROSE by: Victor Hugo (1802-1885) HE Grave said to the Rose, "What of the dews of dawn, Love's flower, what end is theirs?" "And what of spirits flown, The souls whereon doth close The tomb's mouth unawares?" The Rose said to the Grave.   The Rose said, "In the shade From the dawn's tears is made A perfume faint and strange, Amber and honey sweet." "And all the spirits fleet Do suffer a sky-change, More strangely than the dew, To God's own angels new," The Grave said to the Rose. This English translation of "The Grave and the Rose" was composed by Andrew Lang (1844-1912).