A special SMILE today

DAY FIFTY-FIVE  Wednesday 24th February 2021:

If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain. If I can ease one life the aching, Or cool one pain, Or help one fainting robin Unto his nest again. I shall not live in vain.

That is our SMILE OF THE DAY. I think that is a particularly beautiful SMILE, I hope you agree.

I have a robin who lives in my garden along with an abundance of birds and my mischievous squirrels he is a special friend.

Naturalist David Attenborough is now saying it is too late, in effect climate emergency has become climate fatality and has gone beyond the point where it can be reversed.

Writing this diary to put into a time capsule ready to be opened on 1st January 2121 will there be anyone there to open it ?

Yesterday there were another 8,489 cases of china virus and another 548 deaths. Locally 34 new cases and 3 deaths. Tragic and my heart goes out so much to all the REAL people behind the numbers but I fear, I dread these figures may count for little against what climate extinction will bring.

Yesterday I published DOWN AND OUT IN MILTON DREAMS – THE BOOK THAT NEVER WAS so bringing the total number of works since 1st January to eleven. I have nearly finished editing POETS CORNER into three volumes and hope they will be added to my bookshelf by the end of the week. Within this collection there are war poets sharing some terrible events. There is my own rather simple attempt at writing a poem:

 

A hint of spring on a winter’s day,

the snowdrop in a carpet of white

upon a field of green.

The naked branches of the trees

look down and envy all they see.

Then they smile at what is yet to come.

A robin dances on the ground

his red breast differs with the white

and thinks could this be a nesting site ?

But then the footsteps of a man come near

and with it sadness, dread and fear.

The snowdrop, trees and birds

worry the end may soon be theirs.

Extinction of climate is the aim of man.

 

Within what I am saying as the editor of Poets Corner I try to explain that prose comes from the mind while a poet writes from the heart. I am not sure if I will write another poem or not, I would like to but as you can see I am not very good at it. If I did then climate extinction would be my subject.

ON THIS DAY:

24th February 1968: In The Vietnam War the Tet Offensive is halted. South Vietnamese forces recapture the citadel of Hue.

24th February 1976 The constitution of Cuba is formally proclaimed.

24th February 1991: In the Gulf War ground troops cross the Saudi Arabian border and enter Iraq so beginning the ground phase of the war.

24th February 2007: Japan launches its fourth spy satellite stepping up its ability to monitor potential threats from North Korea.

24th February 2008: Fidel Castro retires as the President of Cuba.

If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain. If I can ease one life the aching, Or cool one pain, Or help one fainting robin Unto his nest again. I shall not live in vain.

Is this Destiny ? I feel a hand on my shoulder. Within each of the three volumes of POETS CORNER I feature eight poets. For the third volume I have only seven, today I have the task of finding one more.

EMILY DICKENSON write today’s SMILE:

If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain. If I can ease one life the aching, Or cool one pain, Or help one fainting robin Unto his nest again. I shall not live in vain.

Emily Dickenson was born on 10th December 1830 and left us on 15th May 1886. Here is another of her poems:

Because I could not stop for Death –

He kindly stopped for me –

The Carriage held but just Ourselves –

And Immortality.

 

We slowly drove – He knew no haste

And I had put away

My labuor and my leisure too,

For His Civility –

 

We passed the School, where Children strove

At Recess – in the Ring –

We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain –

We passed the Setting Sun –

 

Or rather – He passed Us –

The Dews drew quivering and Chill –

For only Gossamer, my Gown –

My Tippet – only Tulle –

 

We paused before a House that seemed

A Swelling of the Ground –

The Roof was scarcely visible –

The Cornice – in the Ground –

 

Since then – 'tis Centuries – and yet

Feels shorter than the Day

I first surmised the Horses' Heads

Were toward Eternity –

 

I have just found my 8th poet !  I’d better get back to editing the volume.

Catch up with you again tomorrow

Dave

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