Monday Poem: “A Shropshire Lad, II” by A.E. Housman
by agoodspirit
A Shropshire Lad, II
by A.E. HousmanLoveliest of trees, the cherry now
Is hung with bloom along the bough,
And stands about the woodland ride
Wearing white for Eastertide.Now, of my threescore years and ten,
Twenty will not come again,
And take from seventy springs a score,
It only leaves me fifty more.And since to look at things in bloom
Fifty springs are little room,
About the woodlands I will go
To see the cherry hung with snow.
Today I’m thinking about savoring the moment and about red berries in the snow, so this poem matches my mood and circumstances perfectly.
When I woke up, it was snowy and slippery outside, so in lieu of a run, my husband and I bundled up and went out for a photo-taking walk instead. I don’t usually take my camera on our walks, but my husband is graduating this May and we’ll probably be moving out of our little house, so I’ve started to feel like I need to document everything about our life here so I won’t forget. These red berries especially caught my eye as we walked—they’re not exactly Housman’s cherries, but they’re striking against the white snow and worth remembering all the same.
You are very wise to take photos to document your place and life there. I have pictures of the places we have lived and enjoy looking at them. The red berries on the bare limbs are striking against the white background. Something so simple is so beautiful. Thank you for sharing.
I can relate to the poem too. Although I’m not threescore and ten I do think about what’s ahead and sometimes I’m surprised by my years.
what weather … not like California … but beautiful with the red against the white … you are sounding nostalgic already, which is probably good so that you can appreciate the beauties there while you are still there