When people find themselves texting family members in the same house, then it truly is a sign that civilization as we know it is on the decline.
So many young people embrace this modern technology, it will make your life better they say. Us old fogies, who can easily remember life before technology, are beginning to question if lives have truly improved. In many cases we can most definitely say yes. For instance, I would not had been able to share this blog with the world 10 or 15 years ago. The world has become a smaller place, doorways of possibilities we never would have dreamed of have opened up, However, in the advance of progress what are we giving up?
One of the devices of modern technology I have promised not to own is one of the Electronic Readers. Now before everyone defends their use of the little book killers, I understand they do have great merit, but for myself, it is a statement of trying to keep to the old ways. The old ways of opening a book, of smelling the new book smell, or even better, that musty old book smell! How often have your pressed flowers or small mementos into pages of those dear books, only several decades later, to fall out as you open the pages. A small pressed flower, that brings a smile, remembering a simple loving gesture, that would be impossible without a book.
Do you think the world's best loved poems would have had the same response if they conveyed in a text message? Lover's would read words of deep emotion to their beloved, words from the greatest poets, Shakespeare, Keats, Browning. I still remember from high school lines from my two favorite writers.SONNET 116
Let me not to the marriage of true mindsAdmit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no; it is an ever-fixed mark,
That looks on tempests, and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come;
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.
Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861)
from Sonnets from the Portuguese
XLIII
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.
I love thee freely, as men might strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints,–I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life!–and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.
Listing of Victorian Poetry on Ebay.
Who is your favorite poet? Share with us a line or two?
How Do I Love Thee? (Sonnet 43)
by Elizabeth Barrett BrowningHow do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight For the ends of being and ideal grace. I love thee to the level of every day's Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light. I love thee freely, as men strive for right. I love thee purely, as they turn from praise. I love thee with the passion put to use In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith. I love thee with a love I seemed to lose With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath, Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death.- See more at: http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15384#sthash.OC1ujHKj.dpuf
How Do I Love Thee? (Sonnet 43)
by Elizabeth Barrett BrowningHow do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight For the ends of being and ideal grace. I love thee to the level of every day's Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light. I love thee freely, as men strive for right. I love thee purely, as they turn from praise. I love thee with the passion put to use In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith. I love thee with a love I seemed to lose With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath, Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death.- See more at: http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15384#sthash.OC1ujHKj.dpuf
How Do I Love Thee? (Sonnet 43)
by Elizabeth Barrett BrowningHow do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight For the ends of being and ideal grace. I love thee to the level of every day's Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light. I love thee freely, as men strive for right. I love thee purely, as they turn from praise. I love thee with the passion put to use In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith. I love thee with a love I seemed to lose With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath, Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death.- See more at: http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15384#sthash.OC1ujHKj.dpuf
How Do I Love Thee? (Sonnet 43)
by Elizabeth Barrett BrowningHow do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight For the ends of being and ideal grace. I love thee to the level of every day's Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light. I love thee freely, as men strive for right. I love thee purely, as they turn from praise. I love thee with the passion put to use In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith. I love thee with a love I seemed to lose With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath, Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death.- See more at: http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15384#sthash.OC1ujHKj.dpuf
1 comment:
I have an ebook reader... I resisted for a long time, but I've given in. I still buy paper books. The books that I think I will read once and never come back to them, I read on my reader. Sometimes I buy an ebook, and then I get the paper copy.
That's such a romantic suggestion for Valentine's day!
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