Thursday, June 18, 2009

Homework

I've noticed a lot of South Pas neighbors flinging open windows, shaking out rugs and sweeping off porches. Something about the start of summer seems to prompt people to finally get around to spring cleaning.

Which, of course, reminds me of a poem... This simple one by 19th century poet/housewife Ella Wheeler Wilcox. (No, it's not Neruda. But, then again, I doubt Neruda did much vacuuming...)

This is the place that I love the best,
A little brown house, like a ground-bird's nest,
Hid among grasses, and vines, and trees,
Summer retreat of the birds and bees.

The tenderest light that ever was seen
Sifts through the vine-made window screen--
Sifts and quivers, and flits and falls
On home-made carpets and gray-hung walls.

All through June the west wind free
The breath of clover brings to me.
All through the languid July day
I catch the scent of new-mown hay.

The morning-glories and scarlet vine
Over the doorway twist and twine;
And every day, when the house is still,
The humming-bird comes to the window-sill.

In the cunningest chamber under the sun
I sink to sleep when the day is done;
And am waked at morn, in my snow-white bed,
By a singing bird on the roof o'erhead.

Better than treasures brought from Rome,
Are the living pictures I see at home--
My aged father, with frosted hair,
And mother's face, like a painting rare.

Far from the city's dust and heat,
I get but sounds and odors sweet.
Who can wonder I love to stay,
Week after week, here hidden away,
In this sly nook that I love the best--
This little brown house like a ground-bird's nest?

9 comments:

Judy Williams said...

That is the sweetest happiest poem I've ever read!!!!! I love it.

Your perspective and use of light and shadow are uncanny here. So artfully presented. I feel as if every thing bad has been let out and the beautiful soft air is coming in to dust away the cobwebs. FABULOUS.

Anonymous said...

Such a pretty picture.

Jean Spitzer said...

This is fabulous, indeed.

-K- said...

That's a really striking shot.

Wayne said...

A very creative shot LA.

In Canada we do Spring cleaning at the start of Spring not the end. You Angelinos certainly do march to your own drummer.

Margaret said...

AH! I thought you were talking about the other kind of homework, the impending end of which is also causing us to throw open our windows, in this case, so that we can shout Hooray.

Shanna said...

To expand a bit on your theme of spring cleaning, I am imagining an animated sequence in which the palm tree becomes a feather duster, gracefully swings through the air and through the window and proceeds to dust ever so gently the lovely little room.

I wonder what music would accompany this scene. Any suggestions?

Laurie Allee said...

Hi everyone,

Thank you for such nice words! I love to capture palm trees in odd ways and this shot made me happy. Though, I LOVE what Shanna came up with. Palm as animated feather duster!? Disney Animation, are you listening?

I can't help but hear music from Fantasia right about now...

Thanks everyone! Til tomorrow...

Anonymous said...

Really nice to see this...


Thank you very much...

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