Dear All,
Beginning of May and we have kept the theme ‘light’! The attachments include various poems on the subject of May & we hope you enjoy them & that they help you to appreciate the May we have blossoming all around us.
The blessing today is Dona Nobis Pacem from Marty Haugen’s ‘The Song and the Silence’ – how much we need it – maybe personally or for someone who we know is in need of it but, for sure, our world needs it.
Thank so many of you who have sent us lovely messages, many acknowledging the great ‘person for people’ – all people -that Teresa was. The many kind responses to the news of her death continue to be a great comfort to us.
With our love – enjoy May
The month of May, the merry month of May,
So long awaited, and so quickly past.
The winter’s over, and it’s time to play.
I saw a hundred shades of green today
And everything that Man made was outclassed.
The month of May, the merry month of May.
Now hello pink and white and farewell grey.
My spirits are no longer overcast.
The winter’s over, and it’s time to play.
Sing ‘Fa la la la la,’ I dare to say,
(Tried being modern but it didn’t last)
‘The month of May, the merry month of May.’
I don’t know how much longer I can stay.
The summers come, the summers go so fast,
And soon there will be no more time to play.
So carpe diem, gather buds, make hay.
The world is glorious. Compare, contrast
December with the merry month of May.
Now is the time, now is the time to play.
Wendy Cope
A poem to celebrate the lovely month of May by the Canadian poet, Bliss Carman (1861–1929)
O my dear, the world to-day
Is more lovely than a dream!
Magic hints from far away
Haunt the woodland, and the stream
Murmurs in her rocky bed
Things that never can be said.
Starry dogwood is in flower,
Gleaming through the mystic woods.
It is beauty’s perfect hour
In the wild spring solitudes.
Now the orchards in full blow
Shed their petals white as snow.
All the air is honey-sweet
With the lilacs white and red,
Where the blossoming branches meet
In an arbour overhead.
And the laden cherry trees
Murmur with the hum of bees.
All the earth is fairy green,
And the sunlight filmy gold,
Full of ecstasies unseen,
Full of mysteries untold.
Who would not be out-of-door,
Now the spring is here once more!
The sunshine bathes in clouds of many hues
And morning’s feet are gemmed with early dews,
Warm daffodils about the garden beds
Peep through their pale slim leaves their golden heads,
Sweet earthly nuns of Spring; the gosling broods
In coats of sunny green about the road
Waddle in extasy; and in rich moods
The old hen leads her flickering chicks abroad,
Oft scuttling ‘neath her wings to see the kite
Hang wavering o’er them in the spring’s blue light.
The sparrows round their new nests chirp with glee
And sweet the robin Spring’s young luxury shares
Tootling its song in feathery gooseberry tree
While watching worms the gardener’s spade unbares.
John Clare
We Give Thanks
Poet: Catherine Pulsifer
God, for the month of May, we give thanks to thee
For warmth and sunshine so graciously bestowed
Amidst the blooms, in nature’s majesty
We see your hand in every petal that glowed
Renewed by new growth, we humbly pray
To live a life as vibrant as this day
With newfound strength and hearts aglow,
We thank you for this month’s gentle flow.