Welcome Dear Friends.
Here we are at the beginning of May.
While from the purpling east departs
The star that led the dawn,
Blithe Flora from her couch upstarts,
For May is on the lawn.
William Wordsworth
So pleased that five of my poems have been included in the recently published anthology The Sound of Brilliance.
The anthology features the brilliant work of 41 poets and writers. The pieces are the best of those submitted and showcased on The Short of It online magazine hosted by Susi Bocks at I Write Her.
The Sound of Brilliance
Happy May 1st. everyone.
In May by William Henry Davies
Yes, I will spend the livelong day
With Nature in this month of May;
And sit beneath the trees, and share
My bread with birds whose homes are there;
While cows lie down to eat, and sheep
Stand to their necks in grass so deep;
While birds do sing with all their might,
As though they felt the earth in flight.
This is the hour I dreamed of, when
I sat surrounded by poor men;
And thought of how the Arab sat
Alone at evening, gazing at
The stars that bubbled in clear skies;
And of young dreamers, when their eyes
Enjoyed methought a precious boon
In the adventures of the Moon
Whose light, behind the Clouds’ dark bars,
Searched for her stolen flocks of stars.
When I, hemmed in by wrecks of men,
Thought of some lonely cottage then
Full of sweet books; and miles of sea,
With passing ships, in front of me;
And having, on the other hand,
A flowery, green, bird-singing land.
The fifth month of the year continues to be a challenging one for all at home and across the world in so many ways. The tragedy unfolding in India is a stark reminder of the horrors and consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The ongoing pandemic continues to teach one to value life and nature. As Spring continues to embrace the warming and lengthening days it brings with it the breath of light and hope.
April, here, was a glorious month weather wise. Days filled with sunshine from dawn to dusk with no rain. Today as I write it has started to rain. No watering the garden this evening.
However there has been ground frost on fifteen days in the month making the month one of the coldest on record. I have been working in the garden nearly every day. It appears to be ready for Summer.
All the garden beds have been dug, hoed, weeded and tidied. The shrubs cut back and the garden waste either composted or removed for recycling. The rose bushes are flushed with fresh new leaves. Shrubs and plants repotted. Pots and tools have been cleaned and stored.
The primroses are into their second flush of flowering. The pink flowers of the camelia and ribes and the yellow forsythia make a glorious springtime display. The dwarf rhododendron is covered in slowly opening buds.
The crocus and daffodils have finished blooming and are into dieback mode.The peony has sprouted more buds than ever this year. I am looking forward to seeing them bloom later on. The days are certainly much brighter and warmer.
Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!
The Covid pandemic continues to be a matter of great concern. Here, there appears to be a continuing improving decline in the number of deaths and rate of infection. The continuing vaccination role out programme appears to be having an ongoing successful outcome with almost 13 million fully vaccinated approximately 20% of the population.
The ongoing success has prompted a further and cautious easing of restrictions. We are now able to travel more freely across borders within the UK.
This week nearly all essential businesses have been able to reopen outside. However strict rules remain in place with regard to how they and other indoor businesses, can operate. However no meeting indoors is permitted.
Hopefully the role out of the national inoculation programme will; with, everyone taking up the vaccine, adhering to the simple set of rules, be successful in curtailing the spread of the pandemic.
I continue to remain in awe of; and, so grateful of the selfless sacrifices made by so many to keep all of us as safe as possible.
Thankfully the infection rate and number of deaths from Covid 19 have over the last few weeks continue to be in decline.
A very special huge thank you to all those, on the front line, who continue to care for us and tend to our needs, for the heroism shown on their part, for their love, understanding, patience and support to keep each one of us safe.
May sees Taureans celebrate their birthdays between May 1 and May 20, while anyone born between May 21 and May 30 is a Gemini.
Taureans are typically seen as smart, ambitious and trustworthy, while Geminis are often viewed as being more passionate and dynamic.‘
May birthday celebrants’ flowers are the lily of the valley and the hawthorn. Their birthstone is the emerald, which is known for being associated with foresight, good fortune and youthfulness.
Happy Birthday Folks!
April has seen me being very busy and I have had to take another look at my blogging and scheduling process.
I have had some eye trouble and headaches whilst working on my computer and have had to install a blue light blocking screen protector. This has had a significant impact and has helped considerably.
Time management has once again had to be re-evaluated; and, possibly you might have already noticed some changes. I have had to cut back on my writing and the number of daily posts.
The demands of tending to the garden and trying to get back into my studio to finish off works and start new ones has made reassessing priorities critical.
At the moment the new arrangements appear to be working well and seem to strike a satisfactory balance between all my different interests as well as offering time to relax and some essential ‘Me Time’. Time will tell!
I would like to take this opportunity to express a special note of appreciation to all of you who visit, follow and read my blog.
I also extend a very warm welcome to all new visitors, readers and followers.
To those many writers I follow an apology for not spending more time visiting and reading your valued blogs.
There continues in ever increasing numbers so many artists, chefs, musicians, photographers, poets and writers with such beautiful and interesting blogs; and, so many new exciting emerging bloggers.
My blogging day begins by reading and replying to all comments, followed by checking all e-mails and visiting as many followed sites as possible.
I visit different sites each day depending on my schedule plan for each day. However this is not a hard and fast rule. This takes me about two hours each day. I feel this is very important to do.
I wish that I could read every single one. I am continuing to find, with my increased commitments, it ever more difficult to pay each of you regular visits; this is something that continues to bother me. I trust you all understand.
Stay Well: Stay Safe: Stay Smiling.
Flower Photos Attribution Goff James
Copyright (c) 2021 Goff James – All Rights Reserved
Thank you for your visit.
Art Photography Poetry
Poem Attribution © W. H. Davies, In May
Source Attributionhttps://www.thereader.org.uk/33939-2/
