Poems to live by, on GN and beyond!

Yes - but not poetry.

I'm sorry, I expressed myself badly. The prayer was in a collection of poetry, and is referred to as such here
But the question stands: is there a particular piece that speaks to you at the age and situation you find yourself now? Would you accept Maureen Duffy's That Time of Year Thou Mayst in Me Behold?

You don't have to apologise Icyalittle. I was just slightly confused about whether you meant poem or prayer. How about the following by one of my favourite poets Gerard Manley Hopkins? It's something of both.

Pied Beauty
Glory be to God for dappled things -
For skies of couple-colour as a brinded cow;
For rose-moles all in stipple upon trout that swim;
Fresh-fire-coal chestnut-falls; finches' wings;
Landscape plotted and pieced--fold, fallow, and plough;
And all trades, their gear and tackle and trim.
All things counter, original, spare, strange;
Whatever is fickle, freckled (who knows how?)
With swift, slow; sweet, sour; adazzle, dim;
He fathers-forth whose beauty is past change:
Praise him.

Both lovely, which proves it is not so much the 'poetry', as the use of words beautifully expressing something someone feels, which I suppose is poetry!

I like the one about growing old disgracefully. Unfortunately I can't remember either the title or the poet (sign of getting old !) I believe her first name is Jenny. It contains the lines "I shall wear purple"and "Eat a pound of sausages in one go" (I think!). Help me out please.

Jenny Joseph

When I am an old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat which doesn’t go, and doesn’t suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandals, and say we’ve no money for butter.
I shall sit down on the pavement when I’m tired
And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells
And run my stick along the public railings
And make up for the sobriety of my youth.
I shall go out in my slippers in the rain
And pick flowers in other people’s gardens
And learn to spit.

You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat
And eat three pounds of sausages at a go
Or only bread and pickle for a week
And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes.

But now we must have clothes that keep us dry
And pay our rent and not swear in the street
And set a good example for the children.
We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.

But maybe I ought to practice a little now?
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised
When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.

Weathering
by Fleur Adcock

Literally thin-skinned, I suppose, my face
catches the wind off the snow line and flushes
with a flush that will never wholly settle. Well:
that was a metropolitan vanity,
wanting to look young forever, to pass.

I was never a Pre-Raphaelite beauty
nor anything but pretty enough to satisfy
men who need to be seen with passable women.
But now that I am in love with a place
which doesn’t care how I look or if I am happy,
happy is how I look and that’s all.
My hair will turn grey in any case,
my nails chip and flake, my waist thicken,
and the years work all their usual changes.
If my face is to be weather beaten as well,

that’s little enough lost, a fair bargain
for a year among lakes and fells, when simply
to look out of my window at the high pass
makes me indifferent to mirrors and to what
my soul may wear over its new complexion.

'Leisure' by William Henry Davies. Has always been my favourite and in this busy, busy world it reminds us to stop and appreciate the little things and those that cost nothing. When troubled I always recite it to myself.

What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep and cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.
No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this if, full of care,
we have no time to stand and stare.

like this one - it is short and to the point

What I Regret
By Nina Cassian

. . . never having heard the voice of the Dodo bird . . .
. . . never having smelled the Japanese cherry trees . . .
. . . never having punished the lovers and friends that
deserted me . . .
. . . never having asked for honours that I deserved . . .
. . . never having composed a Mozart sonata . . .
. . . never having realised that I'd live long enough to
regret all the above . . .
. . . and much, much more . . .

Haiku

A perfect white wine
is sweet, sharp and cold as this:
birdsong in winter.

Wendy Cope

Oh it's alright for flippin' nuns! That's all they've got to think about. How good they are. I would rather carry on being me, warts and all.

Too many poems to pick one out!

And purple doesn't suit me.

And who the f--- wants to spit?! Ridiculous.

Oh, I'm so sorry. Bit grumpy that was, wasn't it?

How about Wordsworth;

My heart leaps up when I behold
A rainbow in the sky;
So it was when my life began,
So it is now I am a man,
So be it when I shall grow old
Or let me die!
The child is father of the man:
And could I wish my days to be
Bound each to each by natural piety.

I've loved this one since I first read it as a child.

Last time we had a poetry thread I said how much I was enjoying it even though I don't 'do' poetry! I'm loving these - keep them coming!

Not in the least bit original but it is the one I have tried to live by since I was in my late 20s:

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly and listen to others, even the dull and the ignorant: they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexatious to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals; and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life - keep peace with your soul. With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy.

(From a quotation in Old St Paul's Church, Baltimore -c.1692)

That is one of my favourites Holly and so many of them are peaceful aren't they? I am enjoying reading them all, and yes, that was a bit grumpy jingle, but thank you everyone.

The OP is poetry - a prose poem.

The antidote to Desiderata:

DEODORATA

Go placidly amid the noise and waste
And remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof
Avoid quiet and passive persons, unless you are in need of sleep
Rotate your tires
Speak glowingly of those greater than yourself
And heed well their advice, even though they be turkeys
Know what to kiss, and when
Consider that two wrongs never make a right, but that three do
Wherever possible, put people on hold
Be comforted that in the face of all aridity and disillusionment
And despite the changing fortunes of time
There is always a big future in computer maintenance

You are a fluke of the universe
You have no right to be here
And whether you can hear it or not
The universe is laughing behind your back

Remember The Pueblo
Strive at all times to bend, fold, spindle, and mutilate
Know yourself
If you need help, call the FBI
Exercise caution in your daily affairs
Especially with those persons closest to you -
That lemon on your left, for instance
Be assured that a walk through the ocean of most souls
Would scarcely get your feet wet
Fall not in love therefore. It will stick to your face
Gracefully surrender the things of youth: birds, clean air, tuna, Taiwan
And let not the sands of time get in your lunch
Hire people with hooks
For a good time, call 606-4311. Ask for Ken
Take heart in the bedeepening gloom
That your dog is finally getting enough cheese
And reflect that whatever fortune may be your lot
It could only be worse in Milwaukee

You are a fluke of the universe
You have no right to be here
And whether you can hear it or not
The universe is laughing behind your back

Therefore, make peace with your god
Whatever you perceive him to be - hairy thunderer, or cosmic muffin
With all its hopes, dreams, promises, and urban renewal
The world continues to deteriorate
Give up!

You are a fluke of the universe
You have no right to be here
And whether you can hear it or not
The universe is laughing behind your back

Thanks anno

Once again not a poem.
Dame Julian of Norwhich
“But Jesus, who in this vision informed me of all that is needed by me, answered with these words and said: ‘It was necessary that there should be sin; but all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.'

Galen some time ago I memorised the last part of that quote and think of it when I am going through challenging times.

On the religious theme, I like, in particular, this verse from 'Oh God, our help'

'Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
Bears all its sons away;
They fly forgotten, as a dream
Dies at the opening day'

Also, all the verses from Abide with Me though this one in particular:

'Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day;
Earth's joys grow dim, its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see-
O Thou who changest not, abide with me'

It's a tradition to have 'Abide with Me' at family funerals and I particularly like it sung by a Welsh Male choir.

The OP made me laugh and would be perfect to read out to DH, who is 75 and showing some of the signs, except he'd just indignantly say, 'I don't do any of those things, it's you who do'

Oh yes! Love *feetlebaum's^ version of the crappy desiderata.

(It's been on too many tea towels for one thing)