I Read Therefore I Am discussion
Poem of the Day
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68. Not to Sleep -Robert Graves
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A lovely poem about being in love. I like.
I didn't realise this was about being in love. Like Robert Graves war poetry but I don't think I've read anything else from him.
Actually I'm not sure that is - that just how it read to me - someone not being able to sleep for the happiness of knowing that he's going to see his beloved in the morning - I'll have to google it.
Can't find anything on google -what's your take on the poem Hilary?
Well! I always think of him as a war poet so my initial thoughts were of a time of cease fire? So it is relief and excitement for a certain future that keeps you awake. You needn't count sheep and seek sleep as an escape but can rejoice that tomorrow all will be well.
Could be either I guess, or maybe both ?
That's one of the things that seems unique to poetry to me. What the poet means is less relevant sometimes that what you bring to it yourself. Does that make sense?
Definitely - a poem will mean different things to different people and will sometimes change its meaning for the same person over time.
I love our poem of the day - I really hadn't read much poetry before starting it and reading a poem a day has given me enough practice (and courage) to tackle a wide variety of poetry without blinching . (sorry Winnie-the-pooh reference - what piglit did when he had to climb through Wol's letterbox to alert Christopher Robin to the fact that Wols tree had been blown down trapping him and pooh bear inside- you know I really think that our first book challenge should be Winnie-the-Pooh/The House at Pooh Corner and that I should insist that you accept it!)
Sorry I seem to have slightly digressed (possibly due to the couple of bottles of Blandford Fly I've consumed)
I love our poem of the day - I really hadn't read much poetry before starting it and reading a poem a day has given me enough practice (and courage) to tackle a wide variety of poetry without blinching . (sorry Winnie-the-pooh reference - what piglit did when he had to climb through Wol's letterbox to alert Christopher Robin to the fact that Wols tree had been blown down trapping him and pooh bear inside- you know I really think that our first book challenge should be Winnie-the-Pooh/The House at Pooh Corner and that I should insist that you accept it!)
Sorry I seem to have slightly digressed (possibly due to the couple of bottles of Blandford Fly I've consumed)
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by Robert Graves
Not to sleep all the night long, for pure joy,
Counting no sheep and careless of chimes
Welcoming the dawn confabulation
Of birds, her children, who discuss idly
Fanciful details of the promised coming —
Will she be wearing red, or russet, or blue,
Or pure white?—whatever she wears, glorious:
Not to sleep all the night long, for pure joy,
This is given to a few but at last to me,
So that when I laugh and stretch and leap from bed
I shall glide downstairs, my feet brushing the carpet
In courtesy to civilized progression,
Though, did I wish, I could soar through the open window
And perch on a branch above, acceptable ally
Of the birds still alert, grumbling gently together.