William Butler Yeats (13 June 1865 – 28 January 1939)

drumcliff-yeats-stone

WHEN you are old and grey and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;
How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true,
But one man loved the pilgrim Soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face;
And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled
And paced upon the mountains overhead
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.
William Butler Yeats

Turf Cutting

Quote

turf Cutting

 

My grandfather cut more turf in a day
Than any other man on Toner’s bog.
Once I carried him milk in a bottle
Corked sloppily with paper. He straightened up
To drink it, then fell to right away

Nicking and slicing neatly, heaving sods
Over his shoulder, going down and down
For the good turf. Digging.

The cold smell of potato mould, the squelch and slap
Of soggy peat, the curt cuts of an edge
Through living roots awaken in my head.
But I’ve no spade to follow men like them.

Between my finger and my thumb
The squat pen rests.
I’ll dig with it.

 

from “Digging”, Death of a Naturalist (1966)

 

Winter is Coming…

In which Game of Thrones house do you belong?

Your Result: You belong in HOUSE STARK – Winter is Coming

resultHouse Stark is the most influential and notable power in the North. From their stronghold at Winterfell, the Starks guard the old ways against the dishonourable and fractious houses of the Seven Kingdoms. Their devotion to honour and the old gods wins them few friends in the court of King’s Landing and beyond, but this very same dedication to tradition commands respect from the lords of the North. Those Northmen who bend the knee to Eddard Stark have been hard won with respect, devotion, and justice. His sons show signs that they too will be well-respected and beloved leaders in the North upon ascending to the lordship of this enduring and storied house.

In which Game of Thrones house do you belong?

Uncle Sam’s on Mars

Shoals of dead fish float on the lakes,
but Uncle Sam’s on Mars
And science is making the same mistakes,
but Uncle Sam’s on Mars
No one down here knows how to work the brakes,
but Uncle Sam’s on Mars

Uncle Sam’s on
Mars, he’s on Mars

He’s digging for dreams in the red sand
He’s got his bucket and spade in his left hand
He’s digging for dreams
He’s looking for life

Olympic Park, Beijing