"Within this leaf, to every eye
So little worth, doth hidden lie
Most rare and subtle fragrancy;
Wouldst thou its secret strength unbind?
Crush it, and thou shalt perfume find
Sweet as Arabia's spicy wind.
In this dull stone, so poor and bare
Of shape and luster, patient care
Will find for thee a jewel rare.
But first must skillful hands essay,
With file and flint, to clear away
The film which hides its fire from day.
This leaf? this stone? It is thy heart;
It must be crushed by pain and smart,
It must be cleansed by sorrow's art,
Ere it will yield a fragrance sweet,
Ere it will shine, a jewel meet
To lay before thy dear Lord's feet.
-S. Wilberforce
Teach us to care and not to care. Teach us to sit still...
About Me
3 comments:
So while you're reading the Iliad think about this: "Does a warrior need anger to go to battle?" Most of the actions Achilles takes within the Iliad are led by his "consuming rage" or wrath, and in general, Achilles really tends to be led around by his emotions. Concerning warriors and anger, Seneca said that anger "whets the mind for the deeds of war" and Cicero asked, "And what about when your warrior's anger goes home what is it like with his wife and children? Is it useful then, too?" This probably isn't exactly a particularly in depth question, but I think you may be able to get some good tangents out of it and maybe even enjoy the book a bit more.
Hi Alishia, Surprise....I found your blog and just wanted to say that I really like this poem. It makes me think of you...almost as if Wilberforce didn't write it you would have. Anyway, have a lovely day.
Mr. H - good questions!! I actually think that will really help. I feel like I've sort of been stuck on this shallow level of reading it. It's almost like trying to understand the 'virtue' in Pirates 3 by thinking and thinking through the surface plot! :) After a while you think..."Was this supposed to just be entertaining? Did I miss something by thinking there was something to 'get?'" I'm not sure if that's a result of my over complexity or over simplicity, but it must be an excess of something! :) Anyway, thanks for the hints!
Amber - I didn't know you had a blog! Good to see you...or hear from you...I mean, read from you? :) oh whatever!
Thanks for the poetic compliment! I'm afraid I can't come close to writing poetry that well, but its content did really resonate with me. Glad you liked it!
Looking forward to next week!
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