Lovely version of a great song
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Monday, November 19, 2007
Out And About In Singapore
Bottom middle is afternoon tea in the Fullerton Hotel. The Fullerton used to be the General Post Office building and was used by the Japanese as their HQ during the occupation of Singapore in WWII. Central photo is Bev and Babs leaning on Sir Stamford Raffles, but when I put this photo in the collage, he was decapitated!
Arthur Mee
Arthur Mee who are you?
A name, a person long since dead
Living flesh and bones?
A body that possessed a soul
Created by almighty God
To live on earth
To do as He would want you to
Arthur Mee?
You wrote your letters Arthur Mee
To boys both large and small
And in the schools of England
Your books filled every hall
I wonder what you looked like
Were you bearded or clean?
Were your collars stiff and white?
Were your stockings really green?
Arthur Mee... Far So La Tee Doe
1968 - He really existed! - Click post title for information on Arthur Mee
A name, a person long since dead
Living flesh and bones?
A body that possessed a soul
Created by almighty God
To live on earth
To do as He would want you to
Arthur Mee?
You wrote your letters Arthur Mee
To boys both large and small
And in the schools of England
Your books filled every hall
I wonder what you looked like
Were you bearded or clean?
Were your collars stiff and white?
Were your stockings really green?
Arthur Mee... Far So La Tee Doe
1968 - He really existed! - Click post title for information on Arthur Mee
Old Age
Like a child in the grip of life
Tossed upon a sea of infirmity
Precious gifts
Given back
To He who gave them
Like a tree – the leaves of life
Fall away and bare the branches
Old and withered...
To the cold
A mother’s babe
So soft and smooth
A tiny soul
An old man
Hobbling alone
Can the two...
Have ever been the same?
Memories cherished of long ago
Dream-like days
And painful nights
Visitors of old come in broken sleep
The days come and go
What joy is this
In being old
And alone?
Making tea for one -
Going to the cupboard
To find utensils
One of each
‘Cos no one ever calls
Remembering…..
When I was young and strong
And laughter lived
For that short time
In my life
But now the smooth babe
That I was, is now...
Wrinkled and old
1969
Tossed upon a sea of infirmity
Precious gifts
Given back
To He who gave them
Like a tree – the leaves of life
Fall away and bare the branches
Old and withered...
To the cold
A mother’s babe
So soft and smooth
A tiny soul
An old man
Hobbling alone
Can the two...
Have ever been the same?
Memories cherished of long ago
Dream-like days
And painful nights
Visitors of old come in broken sleep
The days come and go
What joy is this
In being old
And alone?
Making tea for one -
Going to the cupboard
To find utensils
One of each
‘Cos no one ever calls
Remembering…..
When I was young and strong
And laughter lived
For that short time
In my life
But now the smooth babe
That I was, is now...
Wrinkled and old
1969
The Summer Sleeps - Goodbye To Jane
Clouds scuttling across an Autumn sky
Chased by cool winds with icy tongues
Birds rise and soar up high
The winds pause, to fill their lungs
Trees shed leaves and sadly shiver
“We hate winter” they seem to say
The squirrels noses start to quiver
Time for sleep, till’ Spring anyway
And the waters, cold and blue
Reflect the clouds' coldness too
And lovers part – for life is cold
Because summer’s love has now grown old
1968 – Wriiten at the end of a love affair
Chased by cool winds with icy tongues
Birds rise and soar up high
The winds pause, to fill their lungs
Trees shed leaves and sadly shiver
“We hate winter” they seem to say
The squirrels noses start to quiver
Time for sleep, till’ Spring anyway
And the waters, cold and blue
Reflect the clouds' coldness too
And lovers part – for life is cold
Because summer’s love has now grown old
1968 – Wriiten at the end of a love affair
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Complete Collection of Rudyard Kipling's Poems
Click on the title to be taken to a great site with all of Kipling's poems. Enjoy them!
My Boy Jack - Rudyard Kipling
Last Sunday I watched on TV, David Haigh's play of the same name. It was truly a memorable event. Here is Kipling's poem.
'My Boy Jack' (1916)
'Have you news of my boy Jack?
'Not this tide.
'When d'you think that he'll come back?
'Not with this wind blowing, and this tide.
'Has any one else had word of him?
'Not this tide.
For what is sunk will hardly swim,
Not with this wind blowing, and this tide.
'Oh, dear, what comfort can I find?
'None this tide,
Nor any tide,
Except he did not shame his kind -
Not even with that wind blowing, and that tide.
Then hold your head up all the more,
This tide,
And every tide;
Because he was the son you bore,
And gave to that wind blowing and that tide!
Kipling's son, John, was lost in action during the Battle of Loos, September 1915. His body was never recovered until long after his father's death and the war's end. Kipling and his wife had to endure long years of uncertainty regarding their son's fate.This poem was published to accompany some articles written on the Battle of Jutland, May 1916 - the largest naval engagement between British and German warships during the war. British losses - of men and ships - were heavier than that of the Germans, although the German High Fleet never attempted to come out of port again for the rest of the war.
Rudyard Kipling
pre1914:Tommy (1890)Recessional (1897)
writing directly elated to the First World War:Prose -Mary PostgateThe Gardener
Poetry -The BeginningsEpitaph 'My Boy Jack'Mesopotamia Justice The HyaenasGethsemane En-dor
'My Boy Jack' (1916)
'Have you news of my boy Jack?
'Not this tide.
'When d'you think that he'll come back?
'Not with this wind blowing, and this tide.
'Has any one else had word of him?
'Not this tide.
For what is sunk will hardly swim,
Not with this wind blowing, and this tide.
'Oh, dear, what comfort can I find?
'None this tide,
Nor any tide,
Except he did not shame his kind -
Not even with that wind blowing, and that tide.
Then hold your head up all the more,
This tide,
And every tide;
Because he was the son you bore,
And gave to that wind blowing and that tide!
Kipling's son, John, was lost in action during the Battle of Loos, September 1915. His body was never recovered until long after his father's death and the war's end. Kipling and his wife had to endure long years of uncertainty regarding their son's fate.This poem was published to accompany some articles written on the Battle of Jutland, May 1916 - the largest naval engagement between British and German warships during the war. British losses - of men and ships - were heavier than that of the Germans, although the German High Fleet never attempted to come out of port again for the rest of the war.
Rudyard Kipling
pre1914:Tommy (1890)Recessional (1897)
writing directly elated to the First World War:Prose -Mary PostgateThe Gardener
Poetry -The BeginningsEpitaph 'My Boy Jack'Mesopotamia Justice The HyaenasGethsemane En-dor
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Our Last Night in Singapore at Clarke Quay
Colin thought the bottom middle pic would indicate me negotiating with young girls for "Me ruv you rong time!" In fact they were students selling bracelets and I bought 3 - one from each!
Our Friends' House
Interesting story about the cabinet shown in picture on top right of collage - The cabinet is 17th century and was made in Thailand. Apparently it is a dowry cabinet. When a daughter was born, a tree was planted and when the daugher married or was betrothed, the Father would cut the tree down and make a cabinet, which would then be used to store the wedding gifts. Upon the marriage, the cabinet and all it's contents would be given to the newlyweds. In this particular case, there is not one nail or screw in the cabinet. It is entirely made of wood and dowling for the connections.
Wat Pho - Temple of Reclining Buddha - Bangkok
Click on post title for information on Wat Pho - The Temple Of The Reclining Buddha
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