Memory and Inner Riches...

     Last year the kids and I read through Walter De la Mare's Peacock Pie at Circle Time. Each morning we would read one poem and work on memorizing one I'd chosen. A poem a day might not seem like much, but over the course of a few months, it adds up. In that time, we had committed to memory a couple of his poems and had learned something about the author and his work. My kids like to roll their eyes when I happen to get a little weepy when I read. But. You know. It doesn't stop me. And I have to say, this poem got me a bit choked up.

Poor 'Miss 7'

                                                    Lone and alone she lies

                                                        Poor Miss 7

                                                    Five steep flights from the earth,

                                                        And one from heaven;

                                                    Dark hair and dark brown eyes,--

                                                    Not to be sad she tries,

                                                    Still - still it's lonely lies

                                                        Poor Miss 7

                                                    One day - long watch hath she,

                                                        Poor Miss 7,

                                                    Not in some orchard sweet

                                                        In April Devon, - 

                                                    Just four blank walls to see,

                                                    And dark come shadowily,

                                                    No moon, no  stars, ah me!

                                                        Poor Miss 7

                                                    And then to wake again,

                                                        Poor Miss 7,

                                                    To the cold night - to have

                                                        Sour physic given - 

                                                    Out of some dream of pain;

                                                    Then strive long hours in vain

                                                     Deep dreamless sleep to gain:

                                                         Poor Miss 7

                                                    

                                                     Yet memory softly sings

                                                         Poor Miss 7

                                                      Songs full of love and peace

                                                         And gladness even;

                                                      Clear flowers and tiny wings,

                                                      All tender, lovely things,

                                                      Hope to her bosom brings --

                                                         Happy Miss 7.

                                                                                                         Walter De la Mare

     So you might be thinking I got choked up thinking about the poor little girl lying in the hospital all alone...and maybe you would be right. But it's the last stanza that really gets me. Her memory. Wherever her mother and father are now, whatever we may wonder about her past, it was good at one time. She has "songs full of love and peace" in her memory. She has beautiful pictures there to look at because she had time to attend to "flowers and tiny wings". No gadgets or technology, but her own resources in her mind were keeping her company. It struck me that if she had lost her voice, her sight, or her hearing, she would still have memories: music and images in her mind. It moved me. I want my kids to have a wealth of good memories and beautiful things memorized. And I want it for me too. Do you memorize? Do you kids?