One, Two

One, Two
by Haim Nahman Byalik (1873-1934)
translated into English from the original Hebrew


One, two, three, four —
find yourself a wife — choose her!
Do not dally, don't be late
or someone else'll get there first.

I myself found me some honey
but it never came to my lips.
Two she had her, this one widow:
one brunette and one had fair hair.

Not girls-pearls,
fillies fine and gorgeous,
the joy of whoever saw their face
and I loved both of them.

But who'll foretell and who'll say
which of them I loved more.
The time went, I don't know how
I dillydallied, dillydallied.

Suddenly a demon came and scarfed them
a demon with a ponytail and handlebar mustache.
And I remained, silly bugger,
an old bachelor ever after.

And from this to all the young men
a moral to the wise and let who learns learn.

One, two, three, four —
find yourself a wife — choose her!
Do not dally, don't be late
or someone else'll get there first. 

The heart shaped lampwork glass bead pictured above was handcrafted by Rose (the Beadshaper). You can see more of Rose's creations online at Beadshaper . If you will be in the San Francisco Bay area on Saturday, July 6, Rose will be featuring her work in a trunk show at the Studio Seven Art Gallery in Pleasanton, California. Please come over and visit.

The Wine of Love

The Wine of Love
by James Thomson (1700-1748)

The wine of Love is music,

   And the feast of Love is song:

And when Love sits down to the banquet,

   Love sits long:

 

Sits long and ariseth drunken,

   But not with the feast and the wine;

He reeleth with his own heart,

   That great rich Vine.

 

The wine stopper pictured above was handcrafted by Rose, the Beadshaper . Rose will be offering some of her wine stoppers as well as other creations at a trunk show at Studio Seven in Pleasanton, California on Saturday, July 6, 2013 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. She will also be offering them at upcoming jewelry and bead shows in Pasadena and Concord, California.

Diaphenia

Damelus' Song to Diaphenia
by Henry Constable (1562-1613)

Diaphenia, like the daffadowndilly,
White as the sun, fair as the lily,
Heigh ho, how I do love thee!
I do love thee as my lambs
Are belovëd of their dams—
How blest were I if thou wouldst prove me!

Diaphenia, like the spreading roses,
That in thy sweets all sweets incloses,
Fair sweet, how I do love thee!
I do love thee as each flower
Loves the sun's life-giving power,
For, dead, thy breath to life might move me.

Diaphenia, like to all things blessed,
When all thy praises are expressëd,
Dear joy, how I do love thee!
As the birds do love the spring,
Or the bees their careful king,—
Then in requite, sweet virgin, love me!

The lampwork glass fish bead pictured above was handcrafted by the Beadshaper .
See Beadshaper at Shows for a list of shows where Rose will offer her work.