Blog - Joyful Curmudgeon - Blog
A Mary T. Hoffman Commentary from All-Creatures.org

 

"Joyful Curmudgeon" An oxymoron?
No! I see all the beauty of God's creation and I'm joyful.  At the same time, I see all the suffering and corruption going on in the world, and feel called to help expose and end it so that we may have true peace and compassion.

 

---

April Poems – 21 April 2007
By Mary T. Hoffman

Earlier this month I wrote about William Bliss Carman, the “unofficial poet laureate of Canada,” who published under the name “Bliss Carman.” His poems about April are so delightful that I didn’t want this month to go by without sharing two more with you.

UNDER THE APRIL MOON
By Bliss Carman (1861-1929)

Oh, well the world is dreaming
Under the April moon,
Her soul in love with beauty,
Her senses all a-swoon!

Pure hangs the silver crescent
Above the twilight wood,
And pure the silver music
Wakes from the marshy flood.

O Earth, with all thy transport,
How comes it life should seem
A shadow in the moonlight,
A murmur in a dream?

THE SOUL OF APRIL
By Bliss Carman (1861-1929)

Over the wintry threshold
Who comes with joy to-day,
So frail, yet so enduring,
To triumph o'er dismay?

Ah, quick her tears are springing,
And quickly they are dried,
For sorrow walks before her,
But gladness walks beside.

She comes with gusts of laughter, --
The music as of rills;
With tenderness and sweetness,--
The wisdom of the hills.

Her hands are strong to comfort,
Her heart is quick to heed.
She knows the signs of sadness,
She knows the voice of need.

There is no living creature,
However poor or small,
But she will know its trouble,
And hasten to its call.

Oh, well they fare forever,
By mighty dreams possessed,
Whose hearts have lain a moment
On that eternal breast.

See also:
http://www.all-creatures.org/poetrydir.html
http://www.all-creatures.org/poetry/anapril.html
http://www.all-creatures.org/poetry/aprilian.html
http://www.all-creatures.org/poetry/aprilnow.html
http://www.all-creatures.org/poetry/theheretic.html

Go on to: Earth Day – 22 April 2007
Return to: Ralph Waldo Emerson (continued) – 20 April 2007
Return to: Blog - Main Page
Return to: Archive - By Date
Return to: Archive - By Subject

See Readers Comments