Sunday, July 4, 2010

Our Hands Have Met

Ink Sketch - Dante Gabriel Rossetti 1828 - 1882

Our hands have met, our lips have met
Our souls - who knows when the wind blows
How light souls drift mid longings set,
If thou forget'st, can I forget
The time that was not long ago?

Thou wert not silent then, but told
Sweet secrets dear - I drew so near
Thy shamefaced cheeks grown overbold,
That scarce thine eyes might I behold!
Ah was it then so long ago!

Trembled my lips and thou wouldst turn
But hadst no heart to draw apart,
Beneath my lips thy cheek did burn -
Yet no rebuke that I might learn;
Yea kind looks still, not long ago.

Wilt thou be glad upon the day
When unto me this love shall be
An idle fancy passed away,
And we shall meet and smile and say
'O wasted sighs of long ago!'

Wilt thou rejoice that thou hast set
Cold words, dull shows 'twixt hearts drawn close,
That cold at heart I live on yet,
Forgetting still that I forget
The priceless days of long ago?

William Morris
1834 - 1896




26 comments:

darkfoam said...

i don't think i knew that william morris also wrote poetry .. :)
i'm familiar with his textiles and art though.
it's a lovely poem and a lovely rossetti sketch to go with it.

dianne said...

Yes Foamy dear, William Morris was a very talented writer,poet, artist and textile designer to name just some of his accomplishments.
Did you click on his name it is a link to more information about him.
I think this is a lovely poem too, there are more of his poems that I enjoy.
I really like this Rossetti sketch,I like her face as opposed to some of the paintings he has done of women.
He did many ink and pencil sketches, some of these are quite lovely, there is one of his wife Elizabeth Siddall and some paintings of her which I like.
It is quite coincidental that I put a Rossetti sketch there as Jane Burden, William Morris's wife was a model for Rossetti and they had a long standing affair.
xoxoxo ♡
Hope you have a happy 4th July!

Helene said...

Lovely!
The bottom (textile?) is just beautiful! wow!

Happy Monday! Hope you had a wonderful weekend! Its been soooo H O T here! uggg!

dianne said...

Thanks dear Helene ,
yes the bottom design is beautiful, it is one of William Morris's wallpaper designs,circa 1896, could not find the pattern name or number for you, I love many of his patterns.

It's quite cool here, definitely not beach weather ... have a great week!
xoxo ♡

dianne said...

Thanks dear Helene , yes the bottom picture is beautiful, it is one of William Morris's wallpaper designs, circa 1896, I could not find the pattern name or number for you, I really love many of his designs.
It is quite chilly here not really beach weather ... have a great week!
xoxo ♡

Anonymous said...

beauty, dianne!

× × ×

<3

dianne said...

Thanks dear Helene , yes the bottom picture is beautiful, it is one of William Morris's wallpaper designs, circa 1896, I could not find the pattern name or number for you, I really love many of his designs.
It is quite chilly here not really beach weather ... have a great week!
xoxo ♡

dianne said...

Thank you for your comment dear /t. , it is in my e-mail but as yet has not shown up here, maybe later, there seems to be a problem with Google/Blogger and comments at present.
I have been in touch with them to see what is causing the problem.
xoxoxo ♡

Kathleen Scott said...

I enjoy your pairings of art and poetry.

"Forgetting still that I forget..."

Love that line.

dianne said...

Thanks dear Kathleen
I'm so pleased that you enjoy the art that I choose to post with the poetry, I think these two were a good match and also the William Morris as a finishing touch. xoxo ♡

I am pleased that your comment has been published here, I am having many problems with blogger; comments which are in my e-mail which have not shown up here and comments disappearing ... I hope Bloggers gets it sorted out soon as it is most annoying. :/

dianne said...

Sorry dear Helene having problems with Blogger, for some unknown reason your comment which was here has disappeared into thin air. ♡
Still waiting for Blogger to sort it out.

The Mess said...

You are so knowledgeable about different art and writers. Have you studied the topics in school?

dianne said...

Thank you dear M
I have always been interested in art, writing and music; in high school I was fortunate enough to have a great art teacher, he was French, he encouraged us to study art history, so I took it upon myself to discover more about art and artists far beyond that of the curriculum which was very basic.
I also did a course on costume design throughout the different eras of English history.
We had three teachers for English studies in our final year which was very disruptive but again I like finding out more and studied the works of Shakespeare, many of the poets and writers I have posted on my blog.
My music teacher was keen for us to know and learn the history of music and the classical composers and studying the different musical instruments and their contribution to the orchestra, another subject which I loved.
My other favourite subjects were history, biology, specifically botany, plus physics and chemistry.
I have learned far more since I have left school as I have always been interested in discovering new things, I believe we never stop learning if we have an open mind.
xoxoxo ♡

dianne said...

I think finally Blogger has sorted out my 'comments' problem. ♡

Anonymous said...

Le Rayon Vert
The Green Ray
Summer

‘We have been conditioned as a culture to believe that happiness lies in an ideal, future state. For example, we think it will all turn out when we finish school, when we get a job, when we get married, when we have children, then when we get divorced, or when we retire. It is always something or someplace more, better, or different but the more things change, the more they seem to remain the same. In Summer, aka The Green Ray, one of Eric Rohmer's most insightful and charming films, Delphine (Marie Riviere) is a young, intelligent, and good-looking Parisian secretary who has spent her life looking for “Mr Right”. Like many who spend their life “searching”, she is a perfectionist who keeps people away by maintaining impossible standards, then feels inadequate and unloved when things do not work out. She is interesting rather than interested.

When vacation time comes, her girlfriend goes to Greece with a boyfriend and she is left alone and feeling rejected. Turning down an offer to visit Ireland with her sister's family, she decides to take a trip to Cherbourg with a friend and her boyfriend, and does her best to fit in but it only leads to more frustration. After her friends prepare an elaborate dinner she tells them that she doesn't meat, seafood, or eggs and prefers vegetables like lettuce because they make her feel “light”. She won't go sailing because it makes her seasick and she refuses a gift of apple blossoms because she thinks it's wrong to tear such large branches from trees. Rohmer impeccably captures Delphine's intense loneliness, a feeling of isolation that is even more pronounced when the people around you are doing what they think will make you happy. Near tears, she returns to Paris after only a few days in Cherbourg, then visits the Alps thinking she will go mountain climbing but she stays only one day.

Delphine doesn't seem to believe in much, but, like many lonely people, she looks for signs that things are going to turn out all right. She is fascinated with playing cards and when she finds a green card lying in the street, she knows that green is her color of destiny for this year. While strolling the beach at Biarritz she overhears a conversation about a Jules Verne novel about an atmospheric phenomenon known as the Green Ray and she is mesmerized. According to Verne, just before the sun sets below the horizon, if you can see a burst of green light, it will help allow you gain an insight into your true self.’


P'haps, you may find, as indeed I did, a viewing of this lyrical diversion by the late Rohmer might be of no little comfort in calming one's heart concerning the future. May divine peace guard you this night, dearest Dianne, & strengthen thine heart. CB.

painter said...

Hi Diane,

Interesting Rossetti, one can almost see her red hair.

The floating figure reminds me of Marc Chagall.

Cheers,

Painter

The Phosgene Kid said...

Nice sketch, poem was a bit mushy...

dianne said...

You have taken me completely by surprise my dearerst friend CB, I find that I am relieved that you are still amongst us and both the shock and delight from reading your words once more has released a lot of emotions that I have been keeping inside and now the floodgates have opened with a multitude of tears ... maybe my hope and faith of hearing from you again has come true.
I read your words but somehow you are different, I hope life has been kind to you and you have not suffered at all.
I have looked for you so many times but believed I would not hear from you again, it seems you have a habit of disappearing from those who genuinely care for you. I don't look for signs but I was thinking of you last night just before I drifted off to sleep and wondered whether you were safe and well ... I hope you are.
I had so many questions for you but not here and I guess they are of little consequence now.
I see that you are recommending the merits of another film, if you did happen to look at my blog in your long absence you would have read that I did finally get to see The Double Life of VĂ©ronique ... which I loved.
You will also see that I have written many poems in my fruitless search for you, the last poem that I wrote began with a message for you as only you would understand its meaning ... I could not finish it at the time and just recently added more stanzas making it a romantic poem but not dedicated to any one person.

"Do not forget me
when the chill of Winter
steals away the warmth
from your heart
But think of me
as you look
into the flames
of a warming fire
Imagine I am there
as the blanket of night
shuts away the sun
and brings the stars
to light ..."

As for your message I don't believe that happiness lies in a future ideal state, I think what we can maybe sift from the present is all we shall get ... we can glean some happiness from now by not wishing for things which cannot be or are unlikely to happen as we would so wish, as life is not a rehearsal, what we get is now ...
I do find that I am lonely at times but I am not looking for a Mr Right, as time passes I don't believe there is one for me and it is not that I set impossible standards, I was just looking for an honest, gentle man, who shared the same standards and interests as myself, who could love me for who I am, to get to know the 'real' me.
I am very familiar with my true self, I am the person who cares for everyone, who derives pleasure from trees, mornings, music, art and nature, I am basically the same person that I have always been, older of course, maybe a little wiser but always willing to learn new things... like the character in your story I might very well be mesmerised by the 'green ray' at sunset but I don't need to see a green flash on the horizon to know who I am.
I know you believe in the films that you recommend to me and your followers, so as you have been kind enough to come here and tell me of this film I shall try to find it.
Thank you for your kind wishes dear CB, regarding my comfort, my future and my heart ... the future will happen no matter what one wishes for.
I have missed you over all of this time, maybe you will visit again, I would dearly love you to do so, but that I don't know nor would I press you on that matter as you once spoke of resentment building up within you, I guess you are a free spirit and don't wish to be tied down to any one person or place.
I hope you have found the peace, happiness and contentment you were seeking ... that something you said you had lost along the way.
Take care my dearest friend, you shall always be in my heart wherever you may be and you are always welcome here.
Dianne

xoxoxo ♡

dianne said...

Hello dear Painter
Yes I'm fairly sure the model would have had red hair, maybe it was a sketch of Lizzie Siddal, it is a lovely sketch .. I really like ink and pencil sketches.
That little person floating up there in the top right hand side of the drawing is a typical Chagall characteristic, I was trying to work out what she was doing.
Are you working on anything at present, I must pop over and have a look? I always enjoy your paintings. xoxo ♡

dianne said...

Oh, Phossy dear,
this is a lovely poem, it's not mushy.
It never hurts for a man to be romantic and thoughtful in his letters and poems to the one he admires and loves.
I am pleased that you liked the sketch. xoxo ♡

dianne said...

I do not know if you will return dearest CB to see if I have replied to your comment, of course I would reply.
I had so much more to say, especially on the subject of 'Mr Right'if one exists for me, though I doubt that he does.
I just wanted someone real, who had no attachments, who was as loving and affectionate as I am, who could be honest with me but all I seemed to find was disappointment and lies, so I gave up looking.
I don't know if you will give me another opportunity to explain all of this to you, maybe I shall have to wait for another six long months until you return again, if ever.
I have just now watched the link to the film clip, the scenery is visually beautiful, something that I would do, lose myself in the countryside, amongst the trees and grasses, brush my hands over the foliage, take in the fragrance of the leaves and flowers, brush my hands against my face, listen to the song of the wind as it moves through the grasses and trees ... I can now see why you would think of me when you saw this film ... thank you my friend I shall try to find it. xoxo ♡

Anonymous said...

Thank you for your reply, dearest Dianne. Who knows if one day, they will see us waving from such great heights. I can only hope. I do believe that happiness lies in a future ideal state. It just hasn't happened yet. The more I am with those who speak explanations to me, the more I walk slowly backwards from them. I will pass Somersby Manor yet another time. CB

Anonymous said...

I have a tree I need to go back to this very moment... take care for now. ;-) CB

dianne said...

Thank you for returning this evening my dearest CB and reading the replies I have left here for you.
Such beautiful words and glorious images from the natural world in the music video 'such great heights', thank you.

"I am thinking it's a sign
That the freckles in our eyes
Are mirror images and when we kiss
They're perfectly aligned

And I have to speculate
That God himself did make us
Into corresponding shapes
Like puzzle pieces from the clay

And true it may seem like a stretch
But it's thoughts like this that catch
My troubled head when you're away
When I am missing you to death."


I tend to back away when people, even those friends who are well meaning start to tell me how I should live my life and that I should be with someone, anyone.
It doesn't work that way, if love is to find me it will in its own time, it can never be rushed or forced, as I have said I have given up hope.
So here I am alone in my own little part of the sky, it is not so bad.
It has warmed my heart to hear from you once more and to know that you are alright.
When you do pass by Somersby Manor again, please do call in and say 'Hello', you know that you will always be greeted with kindness. ♡

Now I have a tree right outside my window, remember, where you and I used to meet, like me it has missed you and I think I shall go out and tell it to look out for you.
Take care my friend. xoxo ♡

puerileuwaite said...

Here in the U.S. we have a "William Morris Agency" that represents celebrities (and recently dumped Mel Gibson as a client). However they don't seem very romantic at all, and I doubt if I would ever acquiesce to that level of intimacy with them.

dianne said...

Puggles my sweet, if your 'William Morris Agency' there in the U.S. has dumped Mel Gibson as a client well it was probably a smart move, if you can believe the press then Mel is a very disagreeable fellow.
The agency might not be romantic but I believe the man, William Morris was.
You are a romantic too so if you are seeking an agency to promote you and your talents I think you should look elsewhere. xoxoxo ♡