To My Mother

To My Mother

by Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849)

Because I feel that, in the Heavens above,
The angels, whispering to one another,
Can find, among their burning terms of love,
None so devotional as that of “Mother,”
Therefore by that dear name I long have called you—
You who are more than mother unto me,
And fill my heart of hearts, where Death installed you,
In setting my Virginia’s spirit free.
My mother—my own mother, who died early,
Was but the mother of myself; but you
Are mother to the one I loved so dearly,
And thus are dearer than the mother I knew
By that infinity with which my wife
Was dearer to my soul than its soul-life.    

This poem is presented in honor of Mother's Day which will occur in a few weeks. You can find a number of beautiful handcrafted jewelry pieces at Beadshaper which would make a great gift for your mother or the mother of your children.  

Song

Song
by John Donne (1572 - 1631)        

Go and catch a falling star,
Get with child a mandrake root,
Tell me where all past years are,
Or who cleft the devil's foot,
Teach me to hear mermaids' singing,
Or to keep off envy's stinging,
And find
What wind
Serves to advance an honest mind.

If thou be'st born to strange sights,
Things invisible go see,
Ride ten thousand days and nights,
Till Age snow white hairs on thee;
Thou, when thou return'st, wilt tell me
All strange wonders that befell thee,
And swear
No where
Lives a woman true and fair.  

If thou find'st one, let me know;
Such a pilgrimage were sweet,
Yet do not; I would not go,
Though at next door we might meet.
Though she were true when you met her, 
And last till you write your letter
Yet she
Will be
False, ere I come, to two or three.

The bracelet pictured above is in Rose's collection of silver Viking Knit bracelets offered at the Studio Seven Art Gallery in Pleasanton, California. See Beadshaper at Studio Seven for details.

A Dream within a Dream

A Dream within a Dream
by Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849)

Take this kiss upon the brow!
And, in parting from you now,
Thus much let me avow-
You are not wrong, who deem
That my days have been a dream;
Yet, if Hope has flown away
In a night, or in a day,
In a vision, or in none,
Is it, therefore, the less gone?
All that we see or seem
Is but a dream within a dream.

I stand amid the roar
Of a surf-tormented shore,
And I hold within my hand
Grains of golden sand-
How few! yet how they creep
Through my fingers to the deep,
While I weep- while I weep!
O God! can I not grasp
Them with a tighter clasp?
O God! can I not save
One from the pitiless wave?
Is all that we see or seem
But a dream within a dream?

See more Beadshaper lampwork glass beads at http://www.beadshaper.com

Love's Philosophy

Love's Philosophy
by Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822)

The fountains mingle with the river
And the rivers with the Ocean,
The winds of Heaven mix for ever
With a sweet emotion;
Nothing in the world is single;
All things by a law divine
In one spirit meet and mingle.
Why not I with thine?—

See the mountains kiss high Heaven
And the waves clasp one another;
No sister-flower would be forgiven
If it disdained its brother;
And the sunlight clasps the earth
And the moonbeams kiss the sea:
What is all this sweet work worth
If thou kiss not me?

The pendant pictured above and hand crafted by the Beadshaper is named for the poem by Shelley. Click http://www.beadshaper.com to see more of her creations.

I Loved You

 

I Loved You

by Alexander Pushkin (1799-1837)

 

I loved you- even now I may confess Some embers of my love their fire retain But do not let it cause you more distress- I do not want to sadden you again. Hopeless and tongue-tied, yet, I loved you dearly With pangs the jealous the timid know So tenderly I loved you, so sincerely, I pray God grant another love you so. The hand made necklace and bracelet pictured aboove are named for the poem and can be found on the Beadshaper web site at http://www.beadshaper.com

 

 

Wondrous Moment

Wondrous Moment
by Alexander Pushkin (1799-1837)

The wondrous moment of our meeting . . .
I well remember you appear
Before me like a vision fleeting,
A beauty's angel pure and clear.

In hopeless ennui surrounding
The worldly bustle, to my ear
For long your tender voice kept sounding,
For long in dreams came features dear.

Time passed. Unruly storms confounded
Old dreams, and I from year to year
Forgot how tender you had sounded,
Your heavenly features once so dear.

My backwoods days dragged slow and quiet —
Dull fence around, dark vault above —
Devoid of God and uninspired,
Devoid of tears, of fire, of love.
Sleep from my soul began retreating,
And here you once again appear
Before me like a vision fleeting,
A beauty's angel pure and clear.

In ecstasy the heart is beating,
Old joys for it anew revive;
Inspired and God-filled, it is greeting
The fire, and tears, and love alive.

The bracelet pictured above and named for the poem by Alexander Pushkin was hand crafted by the beadshaper. Click http://www.beadshaper.com to see more of the Beadshaper's creations.

My River

My River
by Emily Dickinson

My river runs to thee.
Blue sea, wilt thou welcome me?
My river awaits reply.
Oh! sea, look graciously.

I?ll fetch thee brooks
from spotted nooks.
Say, sea,
Take me!

The lampwork glass pendant bead hand crafted by the Beadshaper and pictured above is reminiscent of a beautiful river. More of the Beadshaper's work can be seen at http://www.beadshaper.com