Friday, August 14, 2015

There Isn't Time...

The title of this children's poem by Eleanor Farjeon says it all.  I offer it up as a late (as usual) contribution to Poetry Friday:


There Isn't Time

There isn't time, there isn't time
To do the things I want to do,
With all the mountain-tops to climb,
And all the woods to wander through,
And all the seas to sail upon,
And everywhere there is to go,
And all the people, every one,
Who lives upon the earth, to know.
To know a few, and do a few,
And then sit down and make a rhyme
About the rest I want to do.

                    ---Eleanor Farjeon


[...the rest I want to do? Maybe read a few of those books in the stack by my nightstand. And get my garden back under control at the end of a brutally hot summer. And write a few poems....and, yes, wander in those woods Farjeon mentions...and...and....]

The Poetry Friday round-up is being hosted today by Heidi over at My Juicy Little Universe. Head over there to see what other people have posted.

14 comments:

  1. Julie,
    The last three lines of this poem break the pattern and make for a very intriguing ending. I'm not familiar with Farjeon, I'll have to do some research. I do like the sentiment of this poem.

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    1. It's true, Joy - Farjeon splits the poem into uneven thirds (4 lines-4 lines-3 lines - but it's interesting how she circles back to pick up the rhyme again with time/climb/rhyme (and, come to think of it do/few/do.) I think the asymmetry is nicely balanced with the more regular singsong of the meter.

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  2. It seems that many of us are feeling the same way this week--not done yet, there isn't time, not ready! Good on Eleanor for wanting to know everyone as well as see everything. Thanks for joining in today.

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    1. Always hard, letting summer go - the season of full bloom - and moving into the season of falling leaves.

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  3. Eleanor Farjeon wrote a great cat poem, "Cats Sleep Everywhere."

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    1. Right, Diane - here's a link to that poem: http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/cats-sleep-anywhere/

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  4. This poem goes perfectly with Heidi's and Greg's this week!

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    1. Right! We're all leaning towards a little "Oh, no!" moment when things get away from us.

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  5. Julie, I love this poem that you showcased. It is so full of summer wants. Are you interested in Summer Splashings as another "thing" to do. I like this thought "letting summer go - the season of full bloom - and moving into the season of falling leaves." Summer Splashings Invitation: http://beyondliteracylink.blogspot.com/2015/07/celebrate-summer.html

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    1. Thanks for the link, Carol - I'll take a look!

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  6. So right there at this time of summer! Sitting in my living room this morning thinking about all the things I didn't do this summer! And school starts Monday!

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    1. School starts before September?? Oh, my gosh - isn't that illegal? :-)

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  7. How many times have I lamented "There isn't time"? Thanks for the introduction to Eleanor Farjeon, Julie. =)

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    1. You're welcome, Bridget. Thanks for visiting The Drift Record today. BTW: I love that Trump poem you posted!

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