Friends,…I meant to do my work today

I Meant To Do My Work Today

Towhee

Spotted Towhee

I meant to do my work today,
But a brown bird sang in the apple tree,

Ornamental Peach, 'Peppermint'

Ornamental Peach, ‘Peppermint’

And a butterfly flittered across the field,
And all the leaves were calling me.

Pretty Face, Triteleia ixioides

Pretty Face, Triteleia ixioides

*And the Buttercups nodded their smiling heads,
Greeting the bees who came to call,
And I asked the lizard the time of day,
As he sunned himself on a moss-grown wall.

Needle grass

Needle grass

And the wind went sighing over the land,
Tossing the grasses to and fro,

March rainbow, winters end?

March rainbow, winters end?

And a rainbow held out its shining hand,
So what could I do but laugh and go?

Richard Le Gallienne (1866-1947)

*For the movie ‘Friends’ (1971), Elton John added the middle verse to this poem by Le Gallienne. The video scene, featuring this poem in the movie score, is haunting and beautiful.

5 comments

  1. Desiree -

    What a delightful poem and you’ve captured it most beautifully in your glorious photographs!!! This is truly superb, Sue!!! Thank you 🙂

  2. Sue Langley -

    I love this poem for stating that it’s OK to become distracted from everyday chores and just live. Thanks, Desiree!

  3. pgwalters97404 -

    My mom’s favorite poem she’d memorized in youth, even had the book back when I was small. She made life magical. We never realized times were tough. She & dad gave us the joy of belly flowers…you had to lay on your belly to see them. She would have been 82 on 8/16. Miss her still, 14 yrs later. Hugs Forever

    • Sue Langley -

      Thanks, pg, Whenever I hear Elton John’s song I think of this sweet movie. I’m glad it brought back memories for you. For ‘belly plants’ we certainly need to slow down a bit to enjoy…

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