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Tuesday, November 30, 2021

A Birthday


A Birthday

By Christina Rossetti - 1830-1894

 

My heart is like a singing bird   

  Whose nest is in a water'd shoot;   

My heart is like an apple-tree   

  Whose boughs are bent with thick-set fruit;   

My heart is like a rainbow shell 

  That paddles in a halcyon sea;   

My heart is gladder than all these,   

  Because my love is come to me.   

  

Raise me a daïs of silk and down;   

  Hang it with vair and purple dyes;

Carve it in doves and pomegranates,   

  And peacocks with a hundred eyes;   

Work it in gold and silver grapes,   

  In leaves and silver fleurs-de-lys;   

Because the birthday of my life

  Is come, my love is come to me.

 

 

Today is my 44th birthday. I took today off work, so I doubt I’ll be spending it with anyone. I am going to Burlington to have lunch with a friend of mine, and I might even take myself to dinner tonight and enjoy a lovely meal. Other than that, it’s really just another day. My mother will probably call, and my sister and her two kids will call to wish me happy birthday. That’s about it. Today’s poem is dedicated to it being my birthday.

 

About the Poem

 

Love poetry is a common theme in English literature, but there are a few truly great poems about being in love (and being happy). “A Birthday” is an example of a poem which celebrates being in love using colorful and majestic imagery. It is written by one of the Victorian era’s greatest poets. The poet is not celebrating her own birthday but celebrating the birthday of her lover.

11 comments:

  1. Happy Birthday! and many happy returns of the day.

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  2. Happy Birthday!
    Wishing you a year filled with hearty laughs, fun memories in the making, and good health.

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  3. Happy Birthday Joe

    Hope you have a great day and have a few treats for Isabella.

    Enjoy

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  4. Happy birthday dear Joe and may this day be a special one for you.

    From Jean Luc, Montreal, Province de Québec, Canada.

    ReplyDelete
  5. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnMwjSrlOBk

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  6. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  7. Happy Birthday... Now its time to start thinking about have you been naughty or nice. Hmmm should the "or" be replaced by "and"?

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  8. Happy Birthday. Share your love of poetry and enjoy your comments about poetry and poets. Hope your coming year is one of goodness.

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  9. Happy Birthday, Joe, may the coming year be free from challenges and unhappiness, Roderick.

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  10. Happy birthday, and many more!

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  11. Thank you everyone for the birthday wishes, and Kent, there definitely should be an “and” not an “or.” LOL

    ReplyDelete

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