A Vagabond Song
One of my favourite autumn poems I learned as memory work in Grade 5. (They were big on memory work in the 60's!) I love the quick flowing musical rhythm and the interesting rhyme scheme! The varied length of the lines is unique. You can't help but join in the author's invigorated mood and feel your heart beat rapidly with the excitement and enthusiasm for fall!
There is something in the autumn that is native to my blood --
Touch of manner, hint of mood;
And my heart is like a rhyme,
With the yellow and the purple and the crimson keeping time.
The scarlet of the maples can shake me like a cry
Of bugles going by.
And my lonely spirit thrills
To see the frosty asters like a smoke upon the hills.
There is something in October sets the gypsy blood astir;
We must rise and follow her,
When from every hill of flame
She calls and calls each vagabond by name.
Mother of Invention, just wanting to put these words to a tune!
posted by Mother of Invention at 3:08 PM
12 Comments:
Do it!
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Yours could be the next "City of New Orleans" song! Wouldn't that be a thrill!
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
I bet that poem
I can hear a song comin from it.
Sitting around the fire......
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Old Lady:Yeah, I should, when the tunes start flowing into my brain! It's got a great rhythm to walk to! Couldn't get it out of my mind yesterday.
Barbara: Might need Arlo or Woody's help
on that! (Arlo?)I love the musicality of language in poetry. It makes it easier to remember the words because they just hook onto the rhythm.
Lynn: Maybe I'd better build a campfire and the melody will come! Build it and they will come!!! HA!
Thursday, October 05, 2006
It makes me want to write poetry. In fall it's like a constant glow of sunset because the sun is lowering. The Blue Ridge parkway is beautiful in fall. I'll be posting some photos soon.
On my 13, I thought you were channeling me until I remembered that I had linked to one of my 100 things about me!
Thursday, October 05, 2006
While I like the Autumn air, I much prefer the Winter snow (assuming we get a goodly amount).
Interesting that he rhymes blood with mood - little clues like that help to imagine the accent with which it must be recited.
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Colleen: Yes, certain things just beg for poems or songs! I forget every year how spectacular fall colours are so it's always a "new" delight. Your area must be so pretty.
I've had poems and thoughts channel through me from other places but never over the fiber-optic trail!
Richard: My husband prefers snow too and cold enough to ski wothout using Klister wax! I always gravitate to winter scenes in paintings, but not real life!
That rhyme is poetic licence but sometimes it bothers me when it's not true rhyme...I either want to say "blued" for blood or "Mud" for mood! For me, it's all in the sound. In this poem the best feature I think is the "sing-song" rhythm. For teaching kids, this is perfect to show the difference between rhythm and beat, and you'd hand out instruments to demonstrate and practise.
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Goosey, goosey gander,
wither do you wander
upstairs,
downstairs
in my lady's chamber
I imagine that originally, gander, wander, and chamber of rhymed (consider the French chambre - so I think gander provides the clue to the original pronunciation).
Friday, October 06, 2006
Richard: I'd think you're right..makes sense but I still have this weird thing about pronouncing words differently just so they can "sorta" rhyme. That's just me being a little perfectionist on a small thong.
Friday, October 06, 2006
Och! Yer right, but it all depends on how you pronounce things.
I'll be oot and aboot the Kingston area later today.
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Richard: Aye, laddie! I dunna think I can be as witty as you are this early mornin'...well, I have me doots!
Sunday, October 08, 2006
October calls to me. What a lovely poem!
Thursday, October 12, 2006
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