Friday, August 14, 2015

Poetry Friday: On the Grasshopper and the Cricket


Every year in August, I'm struck by "the poetry of the earth." The cicadas are pleasantly deafening on an August night in Nebraska. Atticus mentioned last night that when he was a child, their song meant there was a month of summer left, but these days (oh, why must school start so early?) it means he's back to work.

For me, the cicada song also means, "Since Atticus is back to work, I've lost my chef and I have to start planning dinners again."

O, cicada!

O, late summer!

O, Atticus! We miss you. (And not just your cooking.)



On the Grasshopper and Cricket*
John Keats

The poetry of earth is never dead:
  When all the birds are faint with the hot sun,
  And hide in cooling trees, a voice will run
From hedge to hedge about the new-mown mead;
That is the Grasshopper’s—he takes the lead
  In summer luxury,—he has never done
  With his delights; for when tired out with fun
He rests at ease beneath some pleasant weed.
The poetry of earth is ceasing never:
  On a lone winter evening, when the frost
    Has wrought a silence, from the stove there shrills
The Cricket’s song, in warmth increasing ever,
  And seems to one in drowsiness half lost,
    The Grasshopper’s among some grassy hills.


~~~~~

Heidi Mordhorst has the Poetry Friday round up.


*In the public domain.

10 comments:

Heidi Mordhorst said...

I might have to forgive Keats because of this one poem (see my "Ode on a Grecian Yearn" at Mainely Write with Donna)! But the very best piece of this post is your chalkboard. : ) And who gets a husband called Atticus?! Does he have an opinion on setting a watchman?

(The verification tool is asking me to click on pictures of soup. I recommend gazpacho for August. Float some shrimp on top and serve with pita chips.)

Tara said...

I, too, love the idea of a husband named Atticus...and a cef for the summer, at that. Lucky you!

Joy said...

I too like the chalk board. I think we need to go to Heidi's house for dinner. Shrimp on top of gazpacho sounds wonderful.
Great poem too, especially for Nebraska nights.

Mary Lee said...

True that: "The poetry of earth is never dead:"

Karen Edmisten said...

So true, Mary Lee.

Joy, yes, we're headed over to Heidi's tonight, right? Sounds delicious! :)

Tara and Heidi -- yeah, when I picked his blog name, I snagged a good one, no? :) He does have an opinion on setting a watchman Heidi. :) He has read it. I cannot quite bring myself to do so yet. Have you?

Carol said...

Love "the poetry of the Earth is ceasing never." Big truth here. I probably shouldn't admit we are having cooking issues at my house! We don't have an Atticus and those first weeks of school are brutal. Get out the PBJ!

Tabatha said...

I never thought about birds being "faint with the hot sun." Lovely poem, Karen. Good luck with your cooking...this summer I have been cooking gluten-free, dairy-free, iodized-salt-free, and fish-free due to various family members restrictions, and the other day one of my kids said she thought she'd like to become a vegetarian. I'm not sure she means it, but if so, she's going to have to take more of an interest in vegetables!

Karen Edmisten said...

The first weeks of school are brutal here, too, Carol, as I adjust to being back in the kitchen! Good luck, and I will toast you with a PB&J tonight! :)

Tabatha, that's a lot of customization! Wow, I applaud you! We do a lot of vegetarian stuff here but gluten- and dairy-free would be such a challenge! Hope your vegetarian-wanna-be ups her interest in veggies. :)

Bridget Magee said...

Oh the "poetry of the earth" - every month, every season has a new rhythm or rhyme. Wish my husband liked to cook...I'm chef year round (much to my girls chagrin). =)

Karen Edmisten said...

Whenever your girls express chagrin, you could always offer to turn the kitchen over to them, Bridget! :)