July Meeting

A big thanks to Kevin Cannon from Lillian Kelley's on the square for hosting us (and providing lemonade to cool everyone off), and to Gerald for the wonderful iced coffee!  Along with folks reading their original compositions, Larry shared a couple of favorite poems.  I have included them below along with links for more reading.

"THE WORLD IS TOO MUCH WITH US; LATE AND SOON"

The world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers:
Little we see in Nature that is ours;
We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!
The Sea that bares her bosom to the moon;
The winds that will be howling at all hours,
And are up-gathered now like sleeping flowers;
For this, for everything, we are out of tune;
It moves us not.--Great God! I'd rather be
A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn;
So might I, standing on this pleasant lea,
Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn;
Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea;
Or hear old Triton blow his wreathed horn.

William Wordsworth
You can learn more about Mr. Wordsworth here: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/william-wordsworth

"AN IRISH AIRMAN FORESEES HIS DEATH"

I KNOW that I shall meet my fate
Somewhere among the clouds above;
Those that I fight I do not hate,
Those that I guard I do not love;
My county is Kiltartan Cross,
My countrymen Kiltartan's poor,
No likely end could bring them loss
Or leave them happier than before.
Nor law, nor duty bade me fight,
Nor public men, nor cheering crowds,
A lonely impulse of delight
Drove to this tumult in the clouds;
I balanced all, brought all to mind,
The years to come seemed waste of breath,
A waste of breath the years behind
In balance with this life, this death.

W. B. Yeats

You can learn more about Mr. Yeats here: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/william-butler-yeats


Hope to see you all soon!