What a wonderful thread this is - many thanks to Rod for disinterring it. And especial thanks to Bridget for her truly lovely poem, and to Jackie for reminding me of the "Little cat feet". I am impressed by the memories of those who have not had to refer to their books, and have loved most of the selections, whether memorised or not. My own memorisation only runs to parts of poems - like great chunks of "Horatio", by Macaulay, which is one of my all time favourites.
But the poetry that comes most easily to my mind is always Omar Kayyam (I think that Avy might agree with me on this!)
It contains a great deal of wisdom, of a rather fatalistic sort, for sure, but nevertheless he has always struck a chord in me.
Two quatrains, in particular, are never far from me, as they more or less sum up my own philosophy of life.
"Dreaming, as Dawn's Left Hand was in the Sky,
Methought I heard a Voice within the Tavern cry,
'Awake, my little ones and Drink
Before Life's Liquor in the Cup runs dry' "
and:
"Come fill the Cup! And into the Fire of Spring,
Your winter Garment of Repentance fling.
The Bird of Time has but a little way
To flutter. And the Bird is on the Wing!"
