poetry Archives - Character Ink

“Paul Revere’s Ride” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Donna — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 06:29:00 +0000

Last night was the 238th anniversary of Paul Revere’s Ride & today is the 238th anniversary of Lexington & Concord and the “Shot Heard Round the World.

So read some classic poetry by Longfellow today!

Paul Revere’s Ride

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Listen my children and you shall hear
Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere,
On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-five;
Hardly a man is now alive
Who remembers that famous day and year.He said to his friend, “If the British march
By land or sea from the town to-night,
Hang a lantern aloft in the belfry arch
Of the North Church tower as a signal light,–
One if by land, and two if by sea;
And I on the opposite shore will be,
Ready to ride and spread the alarm
Through every Middlesex village and farm,
For the country folk to be up and to arm.”
Then he said “Good-night!” and with muffled oar
Silently rowed to the Charlestown shore,
Just as the moon rose over the bay,
Where swinging wide at her moorings lay
The Somerset, British man-of-war;
A phantom ship, with each mast and spar
Across the moon like a prison bar,
And a huge black hulk, that was magnified
By its own reflection in the tide.
Meanwhile, his friend through alley and street
Wanders and watches, with eager ears,
Till in the silence around him he hears
The muster of men at the barrack door,
The sound of arms, and the tramp of feet,
And the measured tread of the grenadiers,
Marching down to their boats on the shore.
Then he climbed the tower of the Old North Church,
By the wooden stairs, with stealthy tread,
To the belfry chamber overhead,
And startled the pigeons from their perch
On the sombre rafters, that round him made
Masses and moving shapes of shade,–
By the trembling ladder, steep and tall,
To the highest window in the wall,
Where he paused to listen and look down
A moment on the roofs of the town
And the moonlight flowing over all.
Beneath, in the churchyard, lay the dead,
In their night encampment on the hill,
Wrapped in silence so deep and still
That he could hear, like a sentinel’s tread,
The watchful night-wind, as it went
Creeping along from tent to tent,
And seeming to whisper, “All is well!”
A moment only he feels the spell
Of the place and the hour, and the secret dread
Of the lonely belfry and the dead;
For suddenly all his thoughts are bent
On a shadowy something far away,
Where the river widens to meet the bay,–
A line of black that bends and floats
On the rising tide like a bridge of boats.
Meanwhile, impatient to mount and ride,
Booted and spurred, with a heavy stride
On the opposite shore walked Paul Revere.
Now he patted his horse’s side,
Now he gazed at the landscape far and near,
Then, impetuous, stamped the earth,
And turned and tightened his saddle girth;
But mostly he watched with eager search
The belfry tower of the Old North Church,
As it rose above the graves on the hill,
Lonely and spectral and sombre and still.
And lo! as he looks, on the belfry’s height
A glimmer, and then a gleam of light!
He springs to the saddle, the bridle he turns,
But lingers and gazes, till full on his sight
A second lamp in the belfry burns.
A hurry of hoofs in a village street,
A shape in the moonlight, a bulk in the dark,
And beneath, from the pebbles, in passing, a spark
Struck out by a steed flying fearless and fleet;
That was all! And yet, through the gloom and the light,
The fate of a nation was riding that night;
And the spark struck out by that steed, in his flight,
Kindled the land into flame with its heat.
He has left the village and mounted the steep,
And beneath him, tranquil and broad and deep,
Is the Mystic, meeting the ocean tides;
And under the alders that skirt its edge,
Now soft on the sand, now loud on the ledge,
Is heard the tramp of his steed as he rides.
It was twelve by the village clock
When he crossed the bridge into Medford town.
He heard the crowing of the cock,
And the barking of the farmer’s dog,
And felt the damp of the river fog,
That rises after the sun goes down.
It was one by the village clock,
When he galloped into Lexington.
He saw the gilded weathercock
Swim in the moonlight as he passed,
And the meeting-house windows, black and bare,
Gaze at him with a spectral glare,
As if they already stood aghast
At the bloody work they would look upon.
It was two by the village clock,
When he came to the bridge in Concord town.
He heard the bleating of the flock,
And the twitter of birds among the trees,
And felt the breath of the morning breeze
Blowing over the meadow brown.
And one was safe and asleep in his bed
Who at the bridge would be first to fall,
Who that day would be lying dead,
Pierced by a British musket ball.
You know the rest. In the books you have read
How the British Regulars fired and fled,—
How the farmers gave them ball for ball,
>From behind each fence and farmyard wall,
Chasing the redcoats down the lane,
Then crossing the fields to emerge again
Under the trees at the turn of the road,
And only pausing to fire and load.
So through the night rode Paul Revere;
And so through the night went his cry of alarm
To every Middlesex village and farm,—
A cry of defiance, and not of fear,
A voice in the darkness, a knock at the door,
And a word that shall echo for evermore!
For, borne on the night-wind of the Past,
Through all our history, to the last,
In the hour of darkness and peril and need,
The people will waken and listen to hear
The hurrying hoof-beats of that steed,
And the midnight message of Paul Revere.

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The Innkeeper poem –free short video

Donna — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 23:28:00 +0000

John Piper, reading his short poem, “The Innkeeper.” This story is eleven minutes long, but if you are looking for something shorter to show for church or other event, there is a link to a shorter version of it in the link below.

https://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/hope-for-the-hurting-this-christmas-video

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“To My Dear and Loving Husband” by Anne Bradstreet (first American poet)

Donna — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 20:17:00 +0000

I love the “to my husband” poem written by the first American poet, Anne Bradstreet (1612-1672). It is a poem that she wrote to her husband that I would like to share with readers today on my and Ray’s thirtieth wedding anniversary.

To My Dear and Loving Husband

If ever two were one, then surely we.
If ever man were lov’d by wife, then thee;
If ever wife was happy in a man,
Compare with me ye women if you can.
I prize thy love more tham whole Mines of gold,
Or al the riches that the East doth hold.
My love is such that Rivers cannot quench,
Nor ought but love from thee, give recompense.
Thy love is such I can no way repay,
The heavens reward thee maniforld, I pray.
Then while we live, in love lets so prsever,
That when we live no more, we may live ever.

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day 98: rhyming word dictionary

Donna — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 05:33:00 +0000

Ending our posts on National Poetry Month–((https://languagelady365.blogspot.com/2011/04/day-83-national-poetry-month-part-i-of.html ).

No poet is equipped without his or her handy rhyming dictionary! The one I have linked below is a thorough adult version. Very impressive.

There are rhyming word dictionaries (the one we have is softcover from Scholastic–and is very thorough for a student) for children as well.

Check this one out for adults: https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Rhyming-Dictionary-Including-Poets/dp/0440212057

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day 97: poetry handbook

Donna — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 04:02:00 +0000

More for National Poetry Month ((https://languagelady365.blogspot.com/2011/04/day-83-national-poetry-month-part-i-of.html ).

If you are interested in learning more about writing poetry or improving the poetry you do write, you might want to obtain the poetry handbook described below. I like trying different kinds than I normally write (which are nearly alwyas rhymed verse of fairly “normal” rhyme schemes–ABAB, AABBCC, ABCB, etc.). A handbook such as this one helps me learn about other styles–and challenges me to give them a try!

There are many handbooks out there–but the one below received rave reviews, is not too long, and is written by an award-winning poet.

Amazon.com Review: This slender guide by Mary Oliver deserves a place on the shelves of any budding poet. In clear, accessible prose, Oliver (winner of both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award for poetry) arms the reader with an understanding of the technical aspects of poetry writing. Her lessons on sound, line (length, meter, breaks), poetic forms (and lack thereof), tone, imagery, and revision are illustrated by a handful of wonderful poems (too bad Oliver was so modest as to not include her own). What could have been a dry account is infused throughout with Oliver’s passion for her subject, which she describes as “a kind of possible love affair between something like the heart (that courageous but also shy factory of emotion) and the learned skills of the conscious mind.” One comes away from this volume feeling both empowered and daunted. Writing poetry is good, hard work.

https://www.amazon.com/Poetry-Handbook-Mary-Oliver/dp/0156724006

Tomorrow–tips on getting started writing or teaching poetry.

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day 96: 2011 poet’s market

Donna — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 06:50:00 +0000

National Poetry month (https://languagelady365.blogspot.com/2011/04/day-83-national-poetry-month-part-i-of.html ) is coming to a close in a few days, and I haven’t gotten around to all of the poetry-related posts that I wanted to do, so I will try to squeeze them in here yet this week—and then we will get back to rise/raise. Honest!

First of all, I want to share a link to an awesome poetry handbook for those desiring to sell their poetry. It is put out by Writer’s Digest Books (lots of goodies from them!), those folks who put out the Writer’s Market and other “market” books for selling writing.

From the back of this helpful “sales” book:

*Features on the realities of poetry publishing, mistakes to avoid, identifying scams, giving great readings, and promoting your work.

*Information on workshops, organizations, and online resources that help poets perfect their skills and network with fellow poets and editors.

*Thorough indexes to make choosing the best potential markets easier.

*Access to all “Poet’s Market” listings in a searchable online database.

I haven’t sold a lot of poetry—just a few for review to Blue Mountain Art and a few here and there for Christian newsletters and magazines. However, I would love to have more time to spend on this (probably not happening since I am working on my thirty-fourth curriculum book right now!). For those who enjoy writing poetry, I say, go for it! Seeing your poetry published is extremely rewarding—and to be able to motivate, inspire, uplift, challenge, or humor someone through your words is incredible!

Here is the link for this book: https://www.amazon.com/2011-Poets-Market-Robert-Brewer/dp/1582979502

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day 87: poetry challenge

Donna — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 05:56:00 +0000

We never had any takers for our poetry challenge! I put together a short stanza…but not real happy with it. I will share it below (and swallow my pride!). As my daughter likes to say, “Something is definitely wrong with that iambic pentameter!” LOL!

Still hoping for more poetry! Send it in! We’re going to go back to tips very soon, so stay tuned..and invite your friends to join us!

I have bold fonted the words I chose from the list.

Such benevolence we will never know again,

Such a life that was given to us by Him.

So forsaken, oh so cruel the treatment of our Lord,

On Calvary, oblivious to Self, gave eternity to the world.

Will we trust this Savior, who rose on Sunday morn?

Will we trust the gift bestowed—a chance to be reborn?

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day 85: poetry challenge for national poetry month

Donna — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 03:22:00 +0000

I once entered a poetry contest that challenged me and others to write a poem using a given word list. I found it stimulating and actually had a lot of fun doing it. Plus, I was pretty excited with the outcome of my little poem!

So…I thought we would have a Poetry Challenge on Language Lady! Here are the rules:

Write at least four lines (more is okay but not necessary) of poetry (rhymed or free verse) that contains at least six of the words listed below.
Write your poem on the comment section of the LL blog or the comment section of the LL FB page.
Have fun!

Ready? Here are the words* you may choose from:

risen Lord forsaken bunny

spring obsolete estranged reticent

life oblivious arduous acclimate

calvary supercilious morning ecstatic

benevolent bestowed embolden tenacity

*Note: You may use any form, tense, or plural/singular of the words. For example, you may use bunnies rather than bunny or arduously rather than arduous.

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day 84: national poetry month part ii of ii

Donna — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 03:44:00 +0000

April is National Poetry Month, a month-long celebration of poetry throughout the

United States

! This event was founded by the Academy of American Poets in 1996 in order to wide the attention of individuals and the media to poetry: the art of it, our poetic heritage, poetry books, living poets, and more.

Below are some links to activities and more for this month’s poetry focus. Don’t forget LL 365 wants to publish some poetry! Inbox me or email it to cqlalady@mchsi.com ! Be sure to include your name along with your poem.

1. Poetry.com (https://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/94 ) lists thirty ways to celebrate National Poetry Month, including carrying a poem in your pocket that you can share with others, putting a poem in someone’s lunch box, reciting a poem to friends and family, organizing a poetry reading, buying a new book of poetry, donating a book of poetry to your library, and more.

2. If you are a teacher, incorporate poetry into your classroom:

a. Even content area teachers can find poems relating to health, social studies, and science. Integrate the language arts area of poetry with your area of expertise!

b. Read a poem aloud to your students each class day during April.

c. Require each of your students to memorize a poem this month.

d. Have each student type his favorite poem, including its author—print and compile these into a booklet to give to each student.

e. Hold a poetry contest.

Join us tomorrow for a “poetry challenge”! J

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day 83: national poetry month part i of ii

Donna — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 01:13:00 +0000

April is National Poetry Month, a month-long celebration of poetry throughout the

United States

According to the National Poetry Month site, the goals of National Poetry Month are to

§ Highlight the extraordinary legacy and ongoing achievement of American poets

§ Introduce more Americans to the pleasures of reading poetry

§ Bring poets and poetry to the public in immediate and innovative ways

§ Make poetry a more important part of the school curriculum

§ Increase the attention paid to poetry by national and local media

§ Encourage increased publication, distribution, and sales of poetry books

§ Increase public and private philanthropic support for poets and poetry

According to the aforementioned site, the Academy celebrates National Poetry Month in the following ways:

§ Posters: Each year the Academy creates and distributes nearly 200,000 official NPM posters, which are mailed for free to teachers, librarians, and booksellers nationwide.

§ Events: The Academy presents several special events and readings in April. Some of our special events include a 10 Years/10 Cities reading series and our star-studded annual Poetry & The Creative Mind.

§ Publicity: To ensure that poetry gains national attention in the media each April, the Academy mails several thousand press releases and media kits each year to editors and journalists across the country. As a result, thousands of articles about poetry appear in newspapers, magazines, and online media outlets. The Academy also acts as the official clearing house for news and information about National Poetry Month.

*Inspiration & Guidance: The Academy offers a plethora of practical resources for celebrating NPM, including tips for teaching poetry during April, creating a poetry book display in your bookstore or library, presenting a poetry reading or contest, and much more

Tomorrow—suggestions from the National Poetry Month for ways that individuals and teachers to celebrate this month.

In the meantime, I thought we could celebrate it here on Language Lady 365 by doing the following:

(1) Publishing poetry of the readers—you! I would love to publish some poems written by readers, so send them via INBOX, and I will put them up in the coming days;

(2) Have a poetry challenge—challenging readers to write a four line (or so) poem with words from a given word list. More on the latter later; in the meantime, send your poems in!

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