Poisons and medicine are oftentimes the same substance given with different intents.
~Peter Latham
Happy Poetry Friday! How is everybody doing? I am looking forward to visiting Ariana this weekend.
It being October, I am leaning towards spooky-ish topics. I heard about the Poison Book Project recently. Maybe you've heard about it already? Some green-hued books from the late 1800s have arsenic in the binding, so the Winterthur Museum is helping with identifying those books, keeping records, offering info about how to store them, etc. If you have one, don't lick your fingers as you turn the pages and then rub your eyes.
I looked up "poison poems" and found The Poison Tree by William Blake, which I shared already (2014!). A list of "anger" poems also popped up, including this cute one:
“Stop Me!”
by Amos Russel Wells (1862-1933)
Stop me, good people! Don’t you see
My temper is running away with me?
Help, Master Commonsense! Are you afraid?
Good Mistress Prudence, come to my aid!
Stop me, Conscience! Stop me, I pray!
My temper, my temper is running away!
Dear Brother Kindness, snatch after the reins!
Help, or my temper will dash out my brains!
Help, or I’ll get a terrible fall!
Help, Shame, Caution, Love, Wisdom, and all!
***************
Radio, Rhythm & Rhyme has the Poetry Friday round-up. Thanks, Matt!
P.S. Does my post title sound like a lost Jane Austen novel? Quick, someone write it!
14 comments:
An Austen title indeed! or perhaps one written by AI trying to pretend to be Austeneseque? Either way, I shall stay away from ancient green books, though what a plot twist for a murder mystery.
Fascinating post, Tabetha. I am thinking about an old green book that I have sitting in our guest room! Yikes!
As Sally said, the idea of "poison bokos" is great fodder for a book unto itself! Thanks for sharing, Tabatha.
How I love that poem! This line: "Help, or my temper will dash out my brains!"
Poison and Prudence! Who will write that Jane Austen-esque thriller? The green in the covers is beautiful, though deadly. Thanks for this fun post, and that poem made me laugh several times, like in "Help, or my temper will dash out my brains!"
Yes, to all, I'm waiting for a new mystery! We do get very old books sometimes at the store. I'll share with my others who work with the donations! I've never heard of this, Tabatha. And, the poem, though it might be misunderstood, fits toddlers very well, & with the political climate as it is, some people out in our world! Thanks!
Fascinating post! I never heard of poison books before, but now I will beware.
Your post does indeed sound like an Austen novel. That should keep you busy for a time! :) Poison books sound alarming. But we all know the value of handwashing!!
Huh! Nope, I'd never heard of poison books. That is so typical of human beings though...the very perfect element to do something is also bad for us. Those pretty greens are some of my favorite old book covers! Neat find, Tabatha. And, fun poem...I need those same folks to stop ME sometimes.
Latham's quote is a stark reminder of perspective of purpose. Poison books sound scarily intriguing and STOP ME hits close to home with so many today. "Dear Brother Kindness, snatch after the reins!"
Arsenic in book spines, oh my… and how sad–though charming poem, and helpful reminder for our patience. YES to the Austen title. Enjoy your time with Ariana, thanks Tabatha!
Fascinating! Who knew?
As for the poem, I can think of a few (maybe more than a few) government folks I'd like to send it to.
I never heard of the Poison Book Project. Sounds scary and a perfect topic for the month of October.
Poison books! It made me wonder if anyone might ever intentionally have made a gift of an arsenic-bound book. Sounds like a great twist for a mystery novel!
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