Monday, October 22, 2012

doves










My Doves
OPPOSITE my chamber window,
On the sunny roof, at play,
High above the city's tumult,
Flocks of doves sit day by day.
Shining necks and snowy bosoms,
Little rosy, tripping feet,
Twinkling eyes and fluttering wings,
Cooing voices, low and sweet,--
 
Graceful games and friendly meetings,
Do I daily watch and see.
For these happy little neighbors
Always seem at peace to be.
On my window-ledge, to lure them,
Crumbs of bread I often strew,
And, behind the curtain hiding,
Watch them flutter to and fro.
 
Soon they cease to fear the giver,
Quick are they to feel my love,
And my alms are freely taken
By the shyest little dove.
In soft flight, they circle downward,
Peep in through the window-pane;
Stretch their gleaming necks to greet me,
Peck and coo, and come again.
 
Faithful little friends and neighbors,
For no wintry wind or rain,
Household cares or airy pastimes,
Can my loving birds restrain.
Other friends forget, or linger,
But each day I surely know
That my doves will come and leave here
Little footprints in the snow.
 
So, they teach me the sweet lesson,
That the humblest may give
Help and hope, and in so doing,
Learn the truth by which we live;
For the heart that freely scatters
Simple charities and loves,
Lures home content, and joy, and peace,
Like a soft-winged flock of doves. 


Louisa May Alcott (1832 - 1888) 












23 comments:

  1. Ja, sie haben schon auch ihre schönen Seiten, die lustigen Tauben...

    Lieben Gruß und ´ne Handvoll Sonnenschein...

    Cloudy

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  2. I do not know whether I like them or not but for sure they are a part of a urban landcape:)
    Blog about life and travelling
    Blog about cooking

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  3. Wieder ein wundervolles Zusammenspiel mit dem ausgesuchtem Gedicht und deinen Fotos♥

    Ein sehr schönes Gedicht für eine Vogelart die eigentlich ja gar nicht so beliebt ist. Hier in Puerto passe ich immer auf wo ich mich hinsetze...bloss nicht auf eine Bank die unter einer Laterne steht :-)))

    Liebe Grüssle und *wink*

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  4. Apart from the beauty of the Doves, your poem is brilliant.

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  5. Poem and photos are super !

    Despite the fact that I am an animal lover (a cat person in particular!) let me point out a rather .. unpoetic fact. Dove droppings are everywhere in Athens. The negative effect of their waste to statues, archaeologic sites and buildings is immense .. to say the least !

    Enjoy your afternoon dear Monika, with (or .. without!) the following funny video:

    A .. play? Are you queer or something?

    :)

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  6. Beautiful poem! Beautiful photos!

    ... I really miss Athenian doves...

    Πολλά φιλιά Μόνικα!

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  7. Huhu meine liebe Monika,
    das Gedicht ist sehr schön. Bei uns sind die Tauben auch nicht gerade beliebt, weil sie überhand nehmen. Das Füttern ist verboten.
    LG Sabine

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  8. Oh, die Taube ein weltweites Thema und schönes Symbol.
    Grüße aus Berlin,
    Uwe-Jens

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  9. Wonderful poem dear Monika. Have a great week.

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  10. Moύ αρέσουν πολύ οί φωτογραφίες σου φίλη μου!Αλλά καί τό ποιήμα υπέροχο!Θά ήθελα νά τά λέμε καί εδώ!Θέλω τήν γνώμη σου!http://imagesfrommimikaseyes.blogspot.gr/ Καλό βράδυ!

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  11. Моnika, your pictures of doves are very artistic and very distinguished! I love how you saw these birds.

    And I was very pleased to learn about Louisa May Alcott and her beautiful poem. Right now I would like to read more poems of this talented poet.

    I always learn something new and very interesting in your blog. Thank very much for that, my dear Monika.

    I wish you a very nice and creative week!

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  12. the doves bring you Warm Aloha from Waikiki
    Comfort Spiral

    > < } } ( ° >

    > < } } (°>

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  13. These birds are fascinating to watch as they fly here and there in mass and in formation. In cities, they perch on window sills like quiet neighbors, it is true, although I cannot visualize them in quite the same way as did Ms. Alcott. Rather, I think of them as little rascals, taunting and teasing Jack, the Handsome Black Cat, as they stare at each other through a pane of glass.

    Excellent photography, Monika.

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  14. Well photographed. textures and shapes in pastel colors that are very pleasant to shoot and allow us to fantasize with imagination, whether in reality or a turn.

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  15. beautiful ode to the dove, too often despised and considered a plague in the city,x

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  16. Meine Beste,

    links unten, im Mauerwerk, fast wie ein Gesicht, lächel...ach, du findest bezaubernde Motive
    zu klugen Worten...

    herzlichst,
    deine Rachelako

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  17. sweet monika,

    beautiful poem you share my wonderful friend!

    as for the photos are very well captured and i really love the angles and the composition as well.

    have a great day and an even greater week ahead.

    big hugs!

    xoxoxo

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  18. I am not sure why, but these are and always have been my favorite birds.
    I've not seen this poem before, and it is really beautiful.
    So perfect for your wonderful photographs.
    I hope you've had a great beginning to your week, Monika!
    xo.

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  19. Monika your photos are very nice, for some odd reason I also like these birds. I like the poem as well, great choice to accompany your photos.

    Cheers.

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  20. Ένα τέτοιο πουλί με παρακολουθούσε όσο έγραφα τις ιστορίες μου. Υπέροχες οι φωτογραφίες σου!
    Και βέβαια ξέρεις ότι η τιμή που μου έκανες με την παρουσία σου είναι ανεκτίμητη. Δεν το ξεχάσω ποτέ!

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  21. Για ένα Λευκό Περιστέρι
    της χαμένης Αθωότητας
    της Ταχυδρομημένης Παιδικής Ευχής μας που δεν παραδόθηκε
    του συνώνυμου της Ελευθερίας

    δίνω ακόμη και την Ψυχή μου...

    μήπως δεν είναι Περιστέρια - Λευκά - οι Ψυχές?.....


    Φιλί....

    ReplyDelete