NOD by Walter de la Mare
Softly along the road of evening,
In a twilight dim with rose,
Wrinkled with age, and drenched with dew
Old Nod, the shepherd, goes.
His drowsy flock streams on before him,
Their fleeces charged with gold,
To where the sun's last beam leans low
On Nod the shepherd's fold.
The hedge is quick and green with briar,
From their sand the conies creep;
And all the birds that fly in heaven
Flock singing home to sleep.
His lambs outnumber a noon's roses,
Yet, when night's shadows fall,
His blind old sheep-dog, Slumber-soon,
Misses not one of all.
His are the quiet steeps of dreamland,
The waters of no-more-pain,
His ram's bell rings 'neath an arch of stars,
"Rest, rest, and rest again."
In a twilight dim with rose,
Wrinkled with age, and drenched with dew
Old Nod, the shepherd, goes.
His drowsy flock streams on before him,
Their fleeces charged with gold,
To where the sun's last beam leans low
On Nod the shepherd's fold.
The hedge is quick and green with briar,
From their sand the conies creep;
And all the birds that fly in heaven
Flock singing home to sleep.
His lambs outnumber a noon's roses,
Yet, when night's shadows fall,
His blind old sheep-dog, Slumber-soon,
Misses not one of all.
His are the quiet steeps of dreamland,
The waters of no-more-pain,
His ram's bell rings 'neath an arch of stars,
"Rest, rest, and rest again."
https://allpoetry.com/poem/8494539-Nod-by-Walter-de-la-Mare
I loved this as a child. And now of course I know about the aches and pains of old age. And the poet himself rests in the dreamless sleep of death - hopefully with a wonderful awakening ahead of him.
This link will take you there, with all the very short videos included:
https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1102021201.
It begins this way:
"Nearly all of us have questions about life, suffering, death, and the future. We are also concerned about day-to-day matters, such as making a living or having a happy family. Many people find that the Bible not only helps them answer life’s big questions but also gives them practical advice for daily living. Do you think that the Bible can help anyone you know?"
Col's alarm clock went off at 4.30 on Thursday morning - so it was quite a long day. I had a couple of telephone conversations with Pat, a friend from the Flower Estate and have posted her some of Col's postcards, and I have also sent another letter to a friend in hospital.
And I keep in touch with Jacks and Jean. But we are all still isolating, apart from medical necessities. And I am hoping for a quiet weekend.
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