Revealed!

I laughed with pleasure when I found out what poem my knitted 'N' was part of. It's a poem that means quite a lot to me, I studied it for A Level and my renewed passion for literature and language because of this poet's work pushed me towards my degree and all the life changes I've made since... and of course, the title of this blog is from a work by the same poet...

So, without further ado ...

 In My Craft or Sullen Art

In my craft or sullen art
Exercised in the still night
When only the moon rages
And the lovers lie abed
With all their griefs in their arms,
I labour by singing light
Not for ambition or bread
Or the strut and trade of charms
On the ivory stages
But for the common wages
Of their most secret heart.

Not for the proud man apart
From the raging moon I write
On these spindrift pages
Nor for the towering dead
With their nightingales and psalms
But for the lovers, their arms
Round the griefs of the ages,
Who pay no praise or wages
Nor heed my craft or art.

Copyright Dylan Thomas.

I haven't spotted my letter yet on any of the pictures I've seen so far, but I'm hoping to see it in person when it goes to Manchester. 

Poetry Society Letter

Design: Poetry Society Letter

Yarn: Emu Superwash Wool

Needles: 3mm

I finished my Poetry Society letter for their gigantic knitted poem - we still don't know what it will be but all will be revealed next month, and I'm sure we'll all have fun trying to spot our letters!

You can probably see from the books behind me that I'm into words, lots of words, so it's no surprise that I chose to participate in this, along with some other of my local SnB group ...

We were asked to attach a label to the back with our name, location and favourite poem - my favourite is Ithaca by C P Cavafy. It's seen me through bad times, good times, tough decisions and life choices ... so I've added it here, because sometimes, we need to think that it's about the doing, not the result - whether that is life, cross stitch, knitting ...

ITHACA

C.P. Cavafy

translated from modern Greek by Rae Dalven

When you start on your journey to Ithaca,
then pray that the road is long,
full of adventure, full of knowledge.
Do not fear the Lestrygonians
and the Cyclopes and the angry Poseidon.
You will never meet such as these on your path,
if your thoughts remain lofty, if a fine
emotion touches your body and your spirit.
You will never meet the Lestrygonians,
the Cyclopes and the fierce Poseidon,
if you do not carry them within your soul,
if your soul does not raise them up before you.

Then pray that the road is long.
That the summer mornings are many,
that you will enter ports seen for the first time
with such pleasure, with such joy!
Stop at Phoenician markets,
and purchase fine merchandise,
mother-of-pearl and corals, amber and ebony,
and pleasurable perfumes of all kinds,
buy as many pleasurable perfumes as you can;
visit hosts of Egyptian cities,
to learn and learn from those who have knowledge.

Always keep Ithaca fixed in your mind.
To arrive there is your ultimate goal.
But do not hurry the voyage at all.
It is better to let it last for long years;
and even to anchor at the isle when you are old,
rich with all that you have gained on the way,
not expecting that Ithaca will offer you riches.

Ithaca has given you the beautiful voyage.
Without her you would never have taken the road.
But she has nothing more to give you.
And if you find her poor, Ithaca has not defrauded you.
With the great wisdom you have gained, with so much experience,
you must surely have understood by then what Ithacas mean.