Kindness by Edgar Guest

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Edgar Albert Guest (20 August 1881 – 5 August 1959) was a British-born American poet who became known as the People's Poet. His poems often had an inspirational and optimistic view of everyday life. He was born in Birmingham, England in 1881. In 1891, his family moved from England to Detroit, Michigan, where Guest lived until he died.

Kindness 

by Edgar Guest 

One never knows 

How far a word of kindness goes; 

One never sees 

How far a smile of friendship flees. 

Down, through the years, 

The deed forgotten reappears. 

One kindly word 

The souls of many here has stirred. 

Man goes his way 

And tells with every passing day, 

Until life's end: "Once unto me he played the friend." 

We cannot say 

What lips are praising us to-day. 

We cannot tell 

Whose prayers ask 

God to guard us well. 

But kindness lives 

Beyond the memory of him who gives.

 🌺Word Meaning🌺

1. Forgotten (verb) : things that you cannot remember 
2. Reappear (verb): appear again / to be present again 
3. Flee (verb) : leave a place to avoid something / somebody 
4. deed ( noun) : work
5. Stir (verb): move something gently 
6. Praise (verb) : to say something good about someone / something 

🌺Stanza Wise Analysis🌺

1st Stanza:

This means that we often don't realize the impact of our kind words or friendly smiles. A small act of kindness or a simple smile can have a much bigger and more positive effect than we might expect.

2nd Stanza:

This means that over time, even if the kind deed is forgotten, its impact can reappear and be felt again. A single kind word can touch and inspire many people. As time goes on, the person who received the kindness may remember and share the story, acknowledging the kindness they were shown and how it made a lasting impression on them.

3rd Stanza: 

This means that we often don't know who is speaking well of us or praying for our well-being. However, acts of kindness have a lasting impact, even beyond the memory of the person who performed them.

Short Summary of the poem:

In this poem "Kindness," tells us that the acts of kindness and friendship often have a lasting impact that we might not see or realize. Even though we might forget our own kind deeds, they can continue affecting others for years. We may never know who appreciates our kindness or who prays for our well-being, but these acts of goodness live on long after we've given them.

Leisure -- by W. H. Davies

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A boy is seen reading a book under a tree.

Leisure — W. H. Davies

What is this life if, full of care, We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass, Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight, Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty's glance, And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this if, full of care, We have no time to stand and stare.

Summary: "Leisure" is a poem by Welsh poet W. H. Davies that explores the theme of the importance of taking time to appreciate life amidst the pressures of modern society. The poem begins by questioning the hurry and busyness of the world, suggesting that we rarely have time to stand still and observe the beauty around us. The speaker describes various aspects of nature and everyday life that people often overlook due to their preoccupation with work and responsibilities.

The poem emphasizes the value of slowing down and finding moments of leisure to truly appreciate life's simple pleasures, such as observing the beauty of nature, watching the clouds, or listening to birdsong. It contrasts the idea of being too caught up in the pursuit of material wealth and success with the joy of being present in the moment.

Overall, "Leisure" encourages readers to reconsider their priorities and make time for leisure and contemplation amidst the fast-paced demands of modern life. It reminds us that true wealth lies not in material possessions but in the ability to appreciate and savor the world around us.

I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud by William Wordsworth VIII, 2024

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I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud 

BY WILLIAM WORDSWORTH

I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o'er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

William Wordsworth (1770–1850) was a renowned English poet of the Romantic era. He, along with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, published "Lyrical Ballads" in 1798, a work that marked the beginning of the Romantic movement in English literature. Wordsworth is known for his celebration of nature, the ordinary, and the profound emotions of human experience in his poetry. Notable works include "Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey" and "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud," which features the famous lines about daffodils

.

Continuous as the stars that shine

And twinkle on the milky way,

They stretched in never-ending line

Along the margin of a bay:

Ten thousand saw I at a glance,

Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

On the Grasshopper and Cricket by John Keats, Class 9-10, 2024

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John Keats (1795-1821) was an English poet and physician who is considered a major figure in the Romantic movement. His work is still widely read today, and he is considered one of the most important poets of his age.

Nobody knows this little Rose by Emily Dickinson

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Success is Counted Sweetest by Emily Dickinson

Success is Counted Sweetest

by 

Emily Dickinson

"Little Red" by Jessica McDonald

Little Red

 by 

Jessica McDonald 

Once there was a girl,

And her name was Little Red,

She set off to her grandma’s house,

For Gram was sick in bed,

She wandered through the forest,

With her basket full of bread,

She ran into the Big Bad Wolf,

‘Where Are you going?’ he said.

‘I’m headed to my grandma’s house,

Can’t stop to talk,’ said Red.

The sneaky wolf, he made a plan,

And then away he sped.

When Red got to her Grandma’s house,

She saw her there in bed,

‘Oh, what big eyes, and ears, and teeth,

You have upon your head!’

‘The better to eat you with my dear’

The hungry wolf just said.

‘Please don’t eat me,’ said Little Red,

‘Just eat my bread instead.’

Summary of the poem: