Artist

Alexander Averin

Friday 18 November 2011

When You Are Old



Dear Diary,

I listened to one of my favourite BBC Radio 4 repeats this morning, the perennial programme that is Desert Island Discs (may it never end or be taken off the airways). The subject was the Irishwoman, Anna Scher and she chose one or two 'musical' records which brought back memories. But best of all was this poem she chose which I would also pick as a poem to keep if I was ever cast away. The BBC played a recording of it by T P McKenna which brought tears to my eyes;I had never heard it before. I couldn't find a copy of that version to share with you but I found this recording on YouTube which I hope you like.




Is there a poem you would take to your Desert Island?
One of your own or one written by another?
Or both?

Bye for now,
Go mbeannai Dia duit,
Cait

10 comments:

Ruth said...

That is a good poem to take to a desert island. I would take a book of Rilke if I could, or Rumi. Both if possible.

Vee said...

Oh that was lovely. I would take the Psalms if I could only take one bit of poetry. If I could take a lot, which I'd far prefer, I'd take anything by Robert Frost, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Emily Dickinson, even Longfellow. I am so fond of the poets who grew up on New England soil.

ds said...

Oh, I so love that "pilgrim soul". There was a time when Yeats was all I read--Rilke, too. So I would have to bring a bit of each to a desert island, along with Shakespeare...and Dickinson (for she was part of that time as well). Thank you for this, Cait. It is a favorite.

Nan said...

Once upon a time there was a cellar restaurant in a college town. When you first went down there was a stack of old books. You could choose a book, and read it either while eating or while waiting for a table. I picked up Yeats and read this poem for the first time. I was oh, so wowed, and I wasn't even near old then.

Catherine said...

How lovely. I remember it from school, but one I love too is the Lake Isle of Inisfree which I know all the words of and often recite to put myself asleep when I am wakeful. Love your blog which has such character and originality in a digital world gone mad:~)

Pondside said...

I still love your Paul Henry headers more than any other in Blogdom, Cait!
Like Vee, I'd take the Psalms, and if I could have another, I'd have something by Robert Service.

Friko said...

I couldn't begin to choose one single poem to take to a desert island.

This is a favourite but I don't think Rossi does it justice.

Tracy Golightly-Garcia said...

Hello Cait

I love the poem~The Road Not Taken.
I took that other road and had weight loss sugery almost two years ago and it's the best thing I could have ever done. I also love the Psalms.

Take Care

Best
Tracy :)

The bike shed said...

Been away catching up and so bust this month, so forgive short comment.

Could I take a collection? - Raymond Craver's All of Us

But if it was just one - maybe Dylan Thomas, Poem in October

Norma Murray said...

How could you ever choose just one poem. I need different ones for different moods and times of the year. I am a big fan of Seamus Heaney, but maybe my favourite at the moment is I Am, by John Clare.