What is this life if, full of care,
we have no time to stand and stare.
No time to stand beneath the boughs
and stare as long as sheep or cows.
No time to see, when woods we pass,
where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.
No time to see, in broad daylight,
streams full of stars, like skies at night.
No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
and watch her feet, how they can dance.
No time to wait till her mouth can
enrich that smile her eyes began.
A poor life this if, full of care,
we have no time to stand and stare.
Wm. Henry Davies (1871-1940)
All morning the Police Helicopter was overhead ... there was a Homecoming Parade in The King's Hall just behind the rectory and security was tight. "No Parking" cones lined both side of our road and traffic was diverted ... it all adds to the interesting times we have around here.
Blue sky morning turned wet by lunch time ... but in the earlier hours it was good to stand and stare ... not just at the chopper ... but also to enjoy the cloud formations. Clearly there was a lot of upper air movement as the patterns changed every few seconds.
Then there was a further opportunity for standing and staring. This time is was looking under the bonnet while adjustments were made to the new engine.
I am so fortunate to have a good friend who knows a thing or two about cars! He builds, and races, very high quality racing cars ... and there was one packed up and ready to go in this lorry.
While waiting around there were some interesting machines ... this one had signs for the operator to wear all kinds of protection for eyes and ears .... you can imagine the din it must make as it slices through metal! The maker's name stamped solidly on the top of it caught my attention. Clearly they understood that their machine was the best!
The factory is a photographer's paradise ... I resisted the temptation to go round snapping everything in sight ...
The work of human hands can be very beautiful.
Be at peace, then, and rejoice,
loved and comforted and blessed;
hear again the Saviour's voice:
"Set your troubled hearts at rest".
Crosslé Cars
The factory is a photographer's paradise ... I resisted the temptation to go round snapping everything in sight ...
Be at peace, then, and rejoice,
loved and comforted and blessed;
hear again the Saviour's voice:
"Set your troubled hearts at rest".
Timothy Dudley-Smith (born 1926)
Church Hymnal 626 verse 4
1 comment:
Does this mean you are driving a racing engine disguised in a family car? Will you be burning us all off at the lights?
The poem is one of my favourites and Eliot seems to have taken it to heart - maybe his headstands are just his way of getting a new perspective...
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