Walter de la Mare

 

Fare Well

When I lie where shades of darkness
Shall no more assail mine eyes,
Nor the rain make lamentation
When the wind sighs;
How will fare the world whose wonder
Was the very proof of me?
Memory fades, must the remembered
Perishing be?

Oh, when this my dust surrenders
Hand, foot, lip, to dust again,
May these loved and loving faces
Please other men!
May the rusting harvest hedgerow
Still the Traveller's Joy entwine,
And as happy children gather
Posies once mine.

Look thy last on all things lovely,
Every hour. Let no night
Seal thy sense in deathly slumber
Till to delight
Thou have paid thy utmost blessing;
Since that all things thou wouldst praise
Beauty took from those who loved them
In other days.


by Walter de la Mare


https://allpoetry.com/Fare-Well


This de la Mare poem feels so right. I have been looking out on a lovely Autumn - the trees as we drove back from the North on Thursday were a symphony of colour. And I was thinking two things. Firstly, will this be my last Autumn? And, secondly, or will we have unnumbered Autumns in the restored earthly paradise? I try to think of us being there, as it does put everything into its true perspective.

I imagine the Captain and me strolling through Autumn woods with a trug, picking various mushrooms for supper. It is not something I would dare to do now as even experts can make mistakes. And mushroom mistakes can be lethal.

We unpacked on Thursday evening and then I Zoomed to the meeting. Friday morning was our flu and covid jabs - so we shopped for the basics afterwards. I pretty much did nothing after that beyond making the soup and heating up the pizza for supper. Saturday Col was back to his detecting routine, so a very early start, and the Sandwich Fairy got herself together to do her stuff and provide the packed lunches. So I suppose I did do that... er... at least, she did. 

And given we had yet another trip over the Snake, to visit Bea and Co, I thought I would take the opportunity to reblog my Epic Poem, see below:

The Snake Pass (by me)

How beautifully
it winds and wends
the way to Bea's
and back again.