Barton in the Beans

Here is another poem that I love.

Barton in the Beans by Joanne Limburg

For comfort on bad nights

open out a map of Middle England

and sing yourself to sleep

with a lullaby of English names:

Shouldham Thorpe, in gentle sunshine,

Swadlincote, in a Laura Ashley frock,

Little Cubley, veins running with weak tea'

Kibworth Beauchamp, praying on protestant knees,

Ashby-de-la-Zouch, saying 'Morning',

Wigston Parva, smiling - but not too widely,

Ramsey Mereside, raising an eyebrow,

Eye Kettleby, where they'd rather not talk about it,

Market Overton, echoing with the slamming doors

of Cold Overton, where teenagers flee every night to their rooms,

screaming that from Appleby Magna to Stubbers Green

they never met a soul who understood.

They never met a soul.

At Barton in the Beans, the rain says Ssssshhhhh...

A quiet week so far.  For which I am grateful.  The metal detectorists were out in the vast Wiltshire plains - near Salisbury Plain in fact - and one gold coin was found, though not by Himself.  The wonderful comforting structure of Zoom meetings continues, with a change coming up.  I am moving to a new field service group today.  But on my computer, in my own dining room.  I made a carrot cake yesterday and re-stocked the freezer with cake for the Captain's packed lunches. That is about it  for my headline news I think.

The Winter Olympics have started... and although I love them,  I don't intend to watch them this year.  

The news is full of such cruelty and sadness I thought it would be great to put this clear, simple and well known promise into my blog.  It's recorded at Isaiah 11:6-9.  It is a poem in itself and tells us what a loving, peaceful place the earth will be when God's Kingdom is ruling over us.   

"The wolf will reside for a while with the lamb,

 And with the young goat the leopard will lie down.

 And the calf and the lion and the fattened animal will all be together;

 And a little boy will lead them.

 The cow and the bear will feed together,

 And their young will lie down together.

 The lion will eat straw like the bull.

 The nursing child will play over the lair of a cobra,

 And a weaned child will put his hand over the den of a poisonous       snake.

 They will not cause any harm

 Or any ruin in all my holy mountain,

 Because the earth will certainly be filled with the knowledge of   Jehovah

 As the waters cover the sea."

The knowledge of Jehovah is already being taken worldwide - and in so many different languages.

Do have a look at our website:  https://www.jw.org/en/

• • • 
      

      
      

    
    

    •