Thursday, October 21, 2021

The Little Green Orchard

Stay, illusion!
If thou hast any sound, or use of voice,
Speak to me.
~William Shakespeare


I've given myself permission to just post when the spirit moves me, so I don't know what my upcoming blogging schedule will be. Last week, posting was pretty much out of the question, but I did buy some Christmas presents. (?) I'm back to the correct season this week with a shivery poem:

The Little Green Orchard

by Walter de La Mare

Some one is always sitting there,
In the little green orchard;
Even when the sun is high
In noon's unclouded sky,
And faintly droning goes
The bee from rose to rose,
Some one in shadow is sitting there
In the little green orchard.

Yes, when the twilight's falling softly
In the little green orchard;
When the grey dew distills
And every flower-cup fills;
When the last blackbird says,
'What - what!' and goes her way - ssh!
I have heard voices calling softly
In the little green orchard

Not that I am afraid of being there,
In the little green orchard;
Why, when the moon's been bright,
Shedding her lonesome light,
And moths like ghosties come,
And the horned snail leaves home:
I've sat there, whispering and listening there,
In the little green orchard.

Only it's strange to be feeling there,
In the little green orchard;
Whether you paint or draw,
Dig, hammer, chop or saw;
When you are most alone,
All but the silence gone...
Some one is watching and waiting there,
In the little green orchard.
Jama's Alphabet Soup has the Poetry Friday round-up. Thanks, Jama!

12 comments:

Denise Krebs said...

Tabatha, welcome back today. Good for you to take permission from yourself to post whenever you choose. We will look forward to whenever that is. Thank you for sharing this sweet poem by de La Mare. And the photo does make me ask that same question too.

Irene Latham said...

Dear Tab, YES. I'm glad you are taking care of yourself...I was talking with a friend about having so much on my plate, and she wisely reminded me that when you feel like you can't hold on, you can always let something go... sending lovelovelove. xo

Linda B said...

I'm glad you're back in the seasons and sharing those 'moths like green ghosties', Tabatha. This is a shivery poem! Sending you good wishes for every day a little better.

jama said...

Good to hear from you, Tabatha. Thanks for sharing de la Mare's poem (new to me) -- it surprised me with its eeriness as the stanzas progressed.

Margaret Simon said...

I'm glad you are here and have taken us to the little green orchard.

Linda Kulp Trout said...

Until last week, I hadn't posted since last Dec. Like you, I've been finding it hard to post as often as I'd like. I'd rather post out of joy instead of obligation. For now, take care of yourself. xo

Heidi Mordhorst said...

Tabatha, I'm glad to hear that Ben is out of the woods and I hope you've both been getting some good sleep. I'm hoping so hard that our culture will shift a little, give a little, to allow people more easily to say "Too much going on; I have to step back," or even BEFORE there's too much going on, "I'm protecting my well-being." I always feel guilty when I don't get around to comment on everyone's posts. Walter makes the little green orchard sound very inviting indeed.

Janice Scully said...

Thank you for sharing this lovely poem, which made me think of what is in the silence in such special places as the little green orchard. We all have to be thinking about ways to take care of ourselves now that the winter is coming the pandemic is not quite done yet. Stay well.

Elisabeth said...

Tabatha I hope your husband is doing well, and that you're both enjoying being at home again. Thanks for sharing this poem with us - I loved this line: "And moths like ghosties come," - a wonderful, atmospheric poem that's perfect for the season.

Mary Lee said...

Here are more/continuing good wishes for Ben's physical health and your mental health.

Love the de La Mare poem. It's creepy without being truly scary. "Not that I am afraid of being there..." Unreliable narrator???

Carol Varsalona said...

Tabatha, it is good to have you back with us. Illness has its way of rattling our lives but the poem provides a place to contemplate. The line, "Shedding her lonesome light" is striking. I can imagine that scene. Take care!

laurasalas said...

Oooh, I love that third stanza. Tabatha, I don't know how you're keeping up with blogging at ALL with family health stuff, but I hope relinquishing the schedule makes it less of an obligation and more of a release/exploration. Love your phone backgrounds, too. Mine is art from one of my books. I should update it, though, as the book has been out for several years now. I do love the big moon gazing down, though :>) Fits your poem today, in fact! Sending good thoughts your way...