Author Topic: Happy Birthday, Dave!  (Read 7262 times)

rogue_mother

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Happy Birthday, Dave!
« on: November 23, 2011, 11:48:07 AM »
Happy birthday, Dave! I hope your day is a good one filled with good friends and good food.

P. S. I'm still older than you, so there's no use in trying to catch up to me ;)
« Last Edit: November 23, 2011, 12:01:55 PM by rogue_mother »
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Alan W

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Re: Happy Birthday, Dave!
« Reply #1 on: November 23, 2011, 01:14:57 PM »
I second that, Dave!

(I mean the first paragraph, of course. In the age stakes, I think I'm just behind you, but at this stage it all gets a bit blurry.)
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anonsi

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Re: Happy Birthday, Dave!
« Reply #2 on: November 23, 2011, 01:19:26 PM »
Happy birthday! Haven't heard from you in awhile. Hope all is well. :)

birdy

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Re: Happy Birthday, Dave!
« Reply #3 on: November 24, 2011, 01:52:56 AM »
Happy Birthday, Dave!  Hoping that climate, circumstances, and companions all combine to give you a wonderful day! 

            Alliterally yours, birdy

Dave

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Re: Happy Birthday, Dave!
« Reply #4 on: November 24, 2011, 06:57:52 PM »
Many thanks, guys.  I did have a good day.

It has, unfortunately, been a physically painful year (nothing new or sinister, just my neck crumbling away :( ) but happily I'm still finding Chi a pleasant escape.  Must say, though, that I'm getting cranky about not seeing those rosettes nearly often enough – must be something to do with advancing age (and yes, I know it doesn't affect everybody that way, RM!).

Cheers,

Dave

PS do check out my website if you haven't done so already.  There is a disgraceful lack of new creations, but I'll try to do something about that in the new year.

http://www.davenourse.com
« Last Edit: November 24, 2011, 07:02:39 PM by Dave »
The lyf so short, the craft so long to lerne…

Linda

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Re: Happy Birthday, Dave!
« Reply #5 on: November 25, 2011, 04:48:03 AM »
Sorry I missed your birthday, Dave!  Anyway, belated many happy returns of the day - just off to check out your website!

Linda

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Re: Happy Birthday, Dave!
« Reply #6 on: November 25, 2011, 04:57:23 AM »
Plenty of food for thought there, you creative and clever young man!  However under your Old Favourites ..... no W H Auden, no Byron, no Dylan Thomas ...... boo!!  >:D

Dave

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Re: Happy Birthday, Dave!
« Reply #7 on: November 25, 2011, 12:03:38 PM »
Very glad you liked the original stuff on my website, Linda.  I need all the positive feedback I can get!

As for the personal favourites, if you take another look at the first page you'll see the minor qualifier "in the public domain "  I quite agree about Dylan Thomas and WH Auden, and my personal favourites are probably Ted Hughes, Seamus Heaney and the wonderful American poet Richard Wilbur (I can think of at least a dozen more as I'm writing this), but even a very obscure website can get done over for copyright infringement (William Butler Yeats is borderline, but in the public domain in Australia).  Otherwise I'd happily expand this section, although it's pretty clunky working with Yola and I would do a lot more if somebody could get me a neck transplant!

Byron is a different case.  I thought about him, but his best work is Don Juan and that is not easily excerpted – I'm not sufficiently fond of his shorter poems to give him a guernsey.  Might be a gender bias  >:D.

Cheers,

Dave

The lyf so short, the craft so long to lerne…

Linda

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Re: Happy Birthday, Dave!
« Reply #8 on: November 27, 2011, 02:38:33 AM »
Dave, I have a soft spot for this poem .... perhaps it's a gender thing?!


When we two are parted
Lord Byron

When we two parted
In silence and tears,
Half broken-hearted,
To sever for years,
Pale grew thy cheek and cold,
Colder thy kiss;
Truly that hour foretold
Sorrow to this.

The dew of the morning
Sank chill on my brow
It felt like the warning
Of what I feel now.
Thy vows are all broken,
And light is thy fame:
I hear thy name spoken,
And share in its shame.

They name thee before me,
A knell to mine ear;
A shudder comes o'er me
Why wert thou so dear?
They know not I knew thee,
Who knew thee too well:
Long, long shall I rue thee
Too deeply to tell.

In secret we met
In silence I grieve
That thy heart could forget,
Thy spirit deceive.
If I should meet thee
After long years,
How should I greet thee?
With silence and tears.

Dave

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Re: Happy Birthday, Dave!
« Reply #9 on: November 27, 2011, 03:39:58 PM »
Yep, definitely a gender thing, Linda :).  To my ear it's a case of a normally sharp and witty voice turning to mushy doggerel , but I have, just once or twice, been told not to be such a bloody grouch (I do understand that it's hard to believe!).  The following works much better for me, maybe because it's laden with imagery:


        She walks in beauty, like the night
        Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
        And all that's best of dark and bright
        Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
        Thus mellow'd to that tender light
        Which heaven to gaudy day denies.
         
        One shade the more, one ray the less,
        Had half impair'd the nameless grace
        Which waves in every raven tress,
        Or softly lightens o'er her face;
        Where thoughts serenely sweet express
        How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.
         
        And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,
        So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
        The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
        But tell of days in goodness spent,
        A mind at peace with all below,
        A heart whose love is innocent!



Cheers,

Dave
The lyf so short, the craft so long to lerne…

Linda

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Re: Happy Birthday, Dave!
« Reply #10 on: November 27, 2011, 09:40:52 PM »
Yep, it's not too shabby.  Still prefer 'mine' though .... past associations and all that!!

You're right, I can't believe you have ever been referred to as a 'bloody grouch' .... how very rude!  I call my husband a grumpy old git (especially around this time of year when he starts to moan about Christmas) but obviously that's just a term of endearment .....  >:D

birdy

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Re: Happy Birthday, Dave!
« Reply #11 on: November 28, 2011, 04:00:03 PM »
One of my favorite poems, Dave.

Dave

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Re: Happy Birthday, Dave!
« Reply #12 on: November 28, 2011, 06:47:18 PM »
You are obviously a lady of the most refined taste and discerning judgement, Birdy :).
The lyf so short, the craft so long to lerne…

biggerbirdbrain

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Re: Happy Birthday, Dave!
« Reply #13 on: November 30, 2011, 06:22:23 AM »
Cheers to you, Dave ... So sorry I missed saying so earlier, but I've been off a lot ... I do see you on FB sometimes.