Welcome to April and National Poetry Month. For some great ways to celebrate poetry this month browse this page at Poets.org. Explore thirty ways to celebrate. Carry a poem in your pocket. Send a poem to someone you love. Attend a poetry reading. There should be many venues available tis month. Try your hand at writing a poem, even if you have never written one before. Sign up for an e-mail poem a day. There are several websites who offer this service. My favorite is Your Daily Poem.
My contribution today on this first Poetry Friday of National Poetry Month is by Lucy Maud Montgomery. I loved ANNE OF GREEN GABLES. I didn't discover Montgomery's wonderful red-haired imp until I was an adult. When Public Television produced the series, I fell in love with Ann. My daughters and I watched it over and over. In fact when my oldest was getting ready to leave home, we went to a tea room with some friends one day. The music playing was from the movie. We looked at each other and both had tears running down our cheeks. Music and memories and Ann. Oops. Anne with an "e."
I know Ms. Montgomery has her own lovely voice, but when I read this poem, it's that Anne-girl I hear.
Enjoy April.
An April Night
by Lucy Maud Montgomery
The moon comes up o'er the deeps of the woods,
And the long, low dingles that hide in the hills,
Where the ancient beeches are moist with buds
Over the pools and the whimpering rills;
And with her the mists, like dryads that creep
From their oaks, or the spirits of pine-hid springs,
Who hold, while the eyes of the world are asleep,
With the wind on the hills their gay revellings.
Down on the marshlands with flicker and glow
Wanders Will-o'-the-Wisp through the night,
Seeking for witch-gold lost long ago
By the glimmer of goblin lantern-light.
The night is a sorceress, dusk-eyed and dear,
Akin to all eerie and elfin things,
Who weaves about us in meadow and mere
The spell of a hundred vanished Springs.
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I am remembering when I read ANNE OF GREEN GABLES to our children. The other night, my younger daughter told me how "in the third book...she gets 5 marriage proposals!" This poem greets spring with such welcome arms. A.
ReplyDeleteI've seen where Anne lived in Canada, but I haven't seen the movie -- you've inspired me to check it out. The poem is lovely. Thanks, Dori.
ReplyDeleteAmy, I'm glad you enjoyed the warm welcome to spring.
ReplyDeleteTabatha, I would love to see Prince Edward Island. The North Shore is one of my dream trips. You'll love the movie. They did a great job with the first one staying very true to the book. The sequel is a bit less faithful, but still a good movie. My two oldest grands are here this weekend and we're watching the first movie. Watching them is as much fun as watching the movie. The six-year-old had both fingers crossed, hoping that Matthew and Marilla would say yes to keeping Anne!
I was on a tour in the Canadian Maritimes and we went to PEI. Our new friends in the group were Anne of Green Gables 'kindred spirits' and even though the day was dreary and rainy, their excitement spread to the rest of us. On the next leg of the journey, we began watching the movie in the bus. That's how I got hooked...and then watched the movies again once back in Atlanta! You should definitely go to PEI, and be sure to visit the PEI Preseves Company; their product is to die for!
ReplyDeleteOne day, Gail. One day I hope to go. Your trip sounds like it was fun.
ReplyDeleteI, too, was late coming to Anne of Green Gables - only read it after seeing the series on TV. I'm a tough old bird, but when Matthew comes walking across the field for the last time, and Anne watches him, and then.... - oh, that still brings tears to my eyes. Thanks for posting the poem. I can hear it in Anne's voice, too.
ReplyDeleteIt is a heart-stopping scene,that one. My six-year-old granddaughter was sitting on the couch next to my husband when we watched it this weekend. At that scene, she looked over and said, "Pop, are you crying?"
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