.
Those who love the most,
Do not talk of their love,
Francesca, Guinevere,
Dierdre, Iseult, Heloise,
In the fragrant gardens of heaven
Are silent, or speak if at all
Of fragile, inconsequent things.
.
And a woman I used to know
Who loved one man from her youth,
Against the strength of the fates
Fighting in somber pride,
Never spoke of this thing,
But hearing his name by chance,
A light would pass over her face.
.
.
Those Who Love, Sara Teasdale
.
artwork: Flora Priestley by John Singer Sargent
Willow, as always- Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteJanet
Thank you for your devotion to this poet...and of course, to love! Pefect lines for tomorrow. And thank you as well for the network of so many beautiful minds. I have just been reading, for the first time, Michael's blog.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous choice of painting and poem! This speaks to my soul.
ReplyDeleteSargent and a lovely poem--good way to start Valentine's Day, for sure. Happy Valentine's day, Willow, to you and yours.
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ReplyDeleteHappy Valentines Day Willow, a beautiful choice as always.
ReplyDeleteIt is like you are choosing for me...I am very much an art and poetry illiterate (sp?), yet this speaks to me of feelings I have had about my true love, my hubby now, but whom I would never have spoken of in such a way, earlier in our youth. "Love"ly!
ReplyDeletePerfect! I hope you enjoyed putting the two together as much as we have had in seeing, reading and feeling. thank you
ReplyDeletePoignant & lovely: I really like the lines "speak if at all/Of fragile, inconsequent things." Also the wonderfully understated ending.
ReplyDeleteGlad I finally visited you quality blog! I'll be back for sure. Aloha-
ReplyDeleteBeautiful!
ReplyDeleteAhhh. One of my favourite poems.
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely Valentine's Day!
Just beautiful! Have a Happy Valentine's day.
ReplyDeletelovely and beautiful!
ReplyDeletewow, wow, thank you xx
ReplyDeletehappy valentines day!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete......Why does this poem hurts me??......I say thanks anyway!!
ReplyDeleteLovely line, "a light would pass over her face" and provocative image. <3
ReplyDeleteA flash of the look of love, it was short and sweet.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the beautiful poem, great for a Valentine's Day poem of love and something special between two people.
I like the new header picture. Are we getting new ones every few days?
But hearing his name by chance,
ReplyDeleteA light would pass over her face.
Lovely
The second verse is most telling, I think.
ReplyDeleteHello Willow,
ReplyDeleteA lovely poem but I imagine a lot of people will be most disappointed today if their love isn't shouted from the rooftops!!
The involuntary response gives us away every time. Beautiful pick for today, thank you.
ReplyDeleteMay we all experience that light.
ReplyDeleteI go on and on about love! But I try to be discreet. Oh well!
ReplyDeleteHappy Valentine's Day!!
I know that light, and that of which they don't speak. Beautiful post; I love John Singer Sargeant.
ReplyDeleteA lovely poem but I am not in that category. Whenever I was 'in love' (oh, those were my salad days!) I could not help continually dropping the name of my current beau and his virtues in conversation. I still talk often about Richard - his quirks, mannerism, jokes and his wisdom. But I hopefully do it in a nice way, without irritating!
ReplyDeleteI love that poem, willow - particularly the second verse - and a lovely Sergant portrait too.
ReplyDeleteOh! Beautiful lines.
ReplyDeleteMy mother is that light that passes across my father's face.
My brothers and I have a lot to live up to, to try to find a love like theirs.
Happy Valentine Willow o'the light
Perfectly expressed... thank you for this Willow. xxx
ReplyDeleteThanks much for this, Willow! It's helped me to get through a tough morning. And nice choice on both the Sargent work and poem. I am relaxed and calm.
ReplyDeleteThose we love bring light and life into our hearts and minds. And then our countenances reflect our feelings. The poet put it beautifully.
ReplyDeleteHappy St Valentine's Day!
There is a lot of truth and wisdom in this work and I really enjoyed it. I also liked your post the other day.
ReplyDeleteBrookville Daily Photo
Very beautiful.
ReplyDelete:)
Yes, yes.
ReplyDeleteHow much more romantic to be interior and sweetly silent.
A beautiful choice for the day.
A lovely weekend and lovely Valentine's Day to you Willow! Fabulous painting!
ReplyDeleteCatherine xx
Classy as always!
ReplyDeleteThat is just lovely. I like that word "inconsequent". I may have to find a place for that in a piece of my own.
Happy Valentine's Day!
Kat
Happy V Day Willow :)
ReplyDeleteVery beautiful thoughts in that poem. Thank you! Happy Valentine's Day!! ~JLD
ReplyDeleteA beautiful pairing of poem and painting...this is what I come here for! But that poem is sad isn't it?
ReplyDeleteWell, Wikiplug, may your valentine not arrive just because you used Willow's lovely page to hawk your wares. Shame on you!
ReplyDeleteLovely as usual Willow.
I love your blog and have left you an award in the spirit of friendship that you can view on my blog. Happy Valentine's Day!
ReplyDeleteWillow,
ReplyDeleteWhat longing is conveyed by the painting and the words... the heart strings are pulled taut with this post , comme d'habitude, merci
Beautiful poem, beautiful picture--and they fit so well (as always. And my favorite sonnet! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your beautiful post - and Happy Valentine's Day, Willow.
ReplyDeleteDear Willow,
ReplyDeletethank you for caring and stopping by...my wit has gone a begging so ...just thanks.
Sweet, quiet love. Just how I like it. Happy Valentine's Day
ReplyDelete"In the fragrant gardens of heaven
ReplyDeleteAre silent, or speak if at all
Of fragile, inconsequent things."--words words words----Splendid post Willow.
Love reading your blog. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHappy Valentines Day
Cindy
Thank you for sharing this beautiful poem and the painting with us!
ReplyDeleteIt is Sunday morning here already, but in the spirit of Valentine's I am having my tea in bed and reading blogs (which I never ever do on other days). I told the kids that the kitchen will stay clean today, we are going to have a late lunch out.
I wonder who 'Francesca' was meant to be. I know the others though - off to google
ReplyDeleteThat was beautiful, thank you!
ReplyDeleteFrench Fancy, I think Francesca here is referring to the "Paolo and Francesca" doomed lovers, portrayed by Dante, Tchaikovsky and Leigh Hunt's poem.
ReplyDeleteOh, and there's an opera, too, "Francesca da Rimini".
ReplyDeleteI am a huge fan of Sara Teasdale, thanks for that.
ReplyDeleteDear Willow, Thanks so much for this post. I really liked the poem you posted and so looked up Sara Teasdale and read some of her poems and ordered a copy of her love poems for my daughter for Valentine's (a bit late). I just love her poetry.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
Linda, what a lovely Valentine's gift for your daughter! I have a book on order from my library of Teasdale's poetry. I'm happy you enjoyed this poem.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful poem. And the picture match its so well...
ReplyDeleteYour Willow Manor (by the way, it's lovely name) is full of very interesting notes and pictures. It's a very nice place :)
I'll come back here firmly.
with kind regards :)
How true!
ReplyDelete"Those who love the most,
Do not talk of their love
....
Are silent, or speak if at all
Of fragile, inconsequent things."
Beautiful lines.So beautiful.